Locations across Cork city and county to receive grants for outdoor dining facilites

OVER €1.7m has been allocated to a number of locations across Cork city and county for the transformation of outdoor dining facilities.

Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media, Catherine Martin TD and Paul Kelly CEO Fáilte Ireland announced the locations of 38 permanent outdoor dining facilities to be developed nationwide with a total of €9m in funding.

The 38 locations that will benefit from the funding are across 19 counties and will be developed under the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme.

In Cork city, over €375k has been allocated to Caroline St while Pembroke Street will see just over €302k in funding.

Under the scheme, Union Quay has been allocated €284k, with €236k for Beasley St and €112k for Princes Street.

In Cork country, over €400k has been allocated.

The Quays in Bantry will benefit from over €221k in funding and Short Quay in Kinsale will receive €215k.

Minister Catherine Martin said the aim of this Scheme is to support tourism and hospitality jobs and help businesses develop new ways of catering to tourists.

“Access to outdoor dining facilities will continue to be a key part of industry recovery as we look forward to 2022 and beyond," she said.

Paul Kelly CEO of Fáilte Ireland said the Scheme supports “resilience and survival in the short term” and the “recovery of the tourism sector in the long-term”.

He stated that this second part of the Scheme is implemented in partnership with Local Authorities and will build on strengthening the outdoor dining offering.

“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.” 

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.