News

All Local Authorities were invited to apply to Fáilte Ireland for funding under Part Two - Local Authority Weatherproofing & Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme - to develop streets and public spaces to facilitate outdoor dining in urban tourism centres, enabling access to outdoor seating for extended periods throughout the year. 38 locations are set to benefit under the Scheme with almost €9million allocated. 

Part One of the Scheme - Outdoor Seating and Accessories - supports individual hospitality businesses with grants of up to €4,000 for seating, tables and outdoor accessories.  Closing date for receipt of applications is September 30th 2021.

Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media, Catherine Martin T.D and Paul Kelly CEO Fáilte Ireland were in Howth, Co Dublin to make the official announcement. 

Minister Catherine Martin said:

“I am pleased to announce the locations of 38 new outdoor dining facilities to be developed around Ireland including here in Howth, in County Dublin. The aim of this Scheme is to support tourism and hospitality jobs and help businesses develop new ways of catering for domestic and international tourists outdoors. Access to outdoor dining facilities will continue to be a key part of an industry recovery as we look forward to 2022 and beyond.  This scheme further strengthens the Government’s deep commitment to develop tourism and necessary infrastructure nationwide.”

Paul Kelly CEO of Fáilte Ireland added:

“This Scheme supports resilience and survival in the short term and the recovery of the tourism sector in the long-term. Outdoor dining and hospitality will now be a permanent feature of our hospitality offering and businesses need to be supported to facilitate this for longer periods throughout the year.  We have already seen the success of the first part of this Scheme, which provides individual businesses up to €4,000 towards the cost of outdoor seating. This second part of the Scheme being announced today is implemented in partnership with Local Authorities and will build on strengthening the outdoor dining offering around Ireland. We have learned during COVID-19 that people want the option of dining outdoors; this scheme will make dining areas suitable in a wider range of weather conditions so that they can be used for longer periods of the year, helping businesses towards sustainable recovery.”

Moira Murrell, Chair of the CCMA Rural Development, Community, Tourism, Culture and Heritage (RCTCH) Committee stated:

“The implementation of the Local Authority Weatherproofing and Outdoor Dining Enhancement scheme will be hugely beneficial for towns and cities around Ireland, enhancing infrastructure and allowing local hospitality businesses to adapt and develop their offering. We look forward to working with Fáilte Ireland on the completion of this scheme.”

The news is welcome to the businesses of Bundoran and Letterkenny and will help improve the outdoor dining infrastructure in the towns.