Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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498. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he has engaged with local authorities regarding waiving street furniture licence fees as part of an interdepartmental action plan on outdoor dining. [22182/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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With a view to supplementing the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Grant Scheme which was recently announced by my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media , and further to the expected easing of Covid-19 restrictions over the coming months, a package of amending planning regulations were presented on 27 April to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage to assist in facilitating outdoor dining as well as increased vibrancy and commercial activity in urban areas, particularly in relation to the hospitality and restaurant sectors. 

The package of draft regulations includes the waiving of the street furniture licence fees in respect of tables and chairs used for serving food outside hotels, restaurants and pubs in the current year; enabling restaurants to operate as takeaways for the remainder of 2021 without having to apply for change of use planning permission; and revised planning arrangements in relation to the erection of awnings, canopies and other structures at such establishments. Further to the discussions at the Joint Oireachtas Committee and the requirements of section 262(4) of the Planning and Development Act, as amended, these regulations require a positive resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas before they can be signed into law by me. If approved by the Houses of the Oireachtas, it is intended that the regulations be signed into law at the earliest possible date.