Fáilte Ireland's decision to cease inspecting and approving individual self-catering accommodation has been strongly criticised by the Irish Farmers' Association.
The tourism authority wrote to individual self-catering operators last month to inform them that from this summer, they would no longer inspect or approve individual self-catering accommodation, and the familiar Fáilte Ireland shamrock sign could not be used by self-catering operators after December 31st.
It also said it would no longer publish a self-catering guide.
The decision applies to 5,800 regionally approved individual properties. A further 4,000 holiday accommodation units, covered under group schemes of eight units or more, will continue to be inspected and approved by a subcontractor to Fáilte Ireland and will carry the shamrock sign.
Fáilte Ireland is in the process of developing a voluntary charter to which operators can sign up, but the process will be self-regulatory. It is also likely that a holiday homes guide will be published by an independent company. If this is free of charge, Fáilte Ireland has said it will stock it in tourist offices, provided the guide makes clear that the properties are not endorsed by Fáilte Ireland.
The decision to withdraw from approval of self-catering accommodation was taken as part of a review of services in the sector.
The IFA has said that farmers were encouraged to invest in self-catering accommodation as part of the National Rural Development Programme agri-tourism initiative, but their investment would be negatively affected by Fáilte Ireland's decision.
Pádraic Divilly, IFA rural development committee chairman, said they were very critical of the decision. "We view it as a nail in the coffin of the development of rural tourism," he said. "The policy is only focused on big operators at the expense of individual family-run businesses."
Meanwhile, the Irish Self Catering Federation (ISCF) is to meet Fáilte Ireland on Wednesday in a bid to persuade them to set aside their decision.
The ISCF has said the decision would create unfair competition with some accommodation continuing to have the authority's seal of approval while other, equally good, accommodation would not.
The ISCF called on Fáilte Ireland to re-examine its decision and to at least defer it for 12 months. Mary Power, chairwoman of ISCF, said operators were heavily dependent on Fáilte Ireland to deliver customers via their grading and shamrock symbol, and a self-regulated charter would be open to abuse.
"A lot of people will respect a charter but some will abuse it," she said. "We cannot afford to let standards slip."
A spokeswoman for Fáilte Ireland said that at next week's meeting they would seek to "ease some industry concerns" and explore the possibilities around the implementation of the proposed customer charter.
Asked if there was any possibility the decision could be reversed or delayed, she said the organisation would not pre-empt ongoing discussions.
