Dingle harbour commissioners are considering the introduction of a levy or tax on anyone who uses the harbour for leisure purposes.
This would include the estimated 250,000 visitors who travel by ferry to the harbour's mouth each year to see Fungie the dolphin.
The idea was aired at Tuesday night's meeting of the harbour board by the chairman and Fianna Fail Senate Chief Whip, Mr Tom Fitzgerald.
He told the board that in order to run the harbour successfully a range of ideas would have to be considered to increase revenue. "It's ridiculous that we only get £25,000 in harbour fees from the [fishing] fleet. Every year we have to spend £10,000 in cleaning up the place after the fishermen," he declared.
"In Rossaveal, the harbour board gets £1 for every passenger going by ferry to the Aran Islands and this brings them in about £250,000 per annum.
"We could bring in a charge on every passenger going out to see Fungie. I don't know how much we'd charge but it might be 50p or a £1," Senator Fitzgerald said. He did not elaborate on how this levy or charge would be collected, and the ferry operators have not been consulted about these proposals.