A row has reportedly begun between Fáilte Ireland and a number of Irish spas over the tourism organisation’s spa categorisation plans.

According to The Sunday Business Post, a number of spa owners have objected to being categorised, claiming it is ‘over complicated’ and ‘not in line with international standards’.

The newspaper also reports that spas claim the categorisation could threaten to devalue some of Ireland’s more exclusive spas and that complaints have been made to the Irish Hotels Federation.

The initiative, which was partially devised by a working group of Irish spa industry members, would lead to spas being ranked under eight categories.

However, one Irish spa manager was quoted by the newspaper as saying that a number of the categories, such as ‘bijou’ were nondescript and unhelpful.