The Minister of State for Finance has indicated that rates will not be applied to bed and breakfast accommodation. Mr Martin Cullen said a final Government decision on the controversial issue was due shortly with the publication of new legislation.
He told delegates that there were "significant practical difficulties" associated with a move to introduce rates on B&Bs. There was no authoritative list of such accommodation and while some 3,900 operations were approved for Bord Failte there were no precise figures for the number of unapproved bed and breakfast operations.