Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021
332. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the additional supports her Department has considered implementing to assist the tourism sector here during the summer months. [22311/21]
View answerI am fully aware of the impact COVID-19 has on tourism and hospitality nationwide and I also acknowledge that public health restrictions continue to be very challenging for the tourism sector. The national vaccination programme is critical and provides hope that in 2021 we will see the beginning of the recovery for the sector but this will not happen overnight. For now, the focus remains on helping businesses and jobs in tourism to survive the pandemic and be ready for recovery.
In line with the plan set out in The Path Ahead and after taking full account of the current status of COVID-19 in the community and the public health advice, the Government has been implementing a limited phased easing of some Level 5 restrictions through the month of April. The Government is due to make further decisions and announcements this week regarding the position to apply for May and beyond, with a view to facilitating the safe reopening of more services as the public health situation permits.
In addition to horizontal supports such as CRSS and EWSS, there was a record level of funding for Tourism overall, of just under €221 million in Budget 2021 and there have been additional measures to support tourism, such as the VAT rate reduction to 9%, as well as the €55m Tourism Business Continuity Scheme, the Covid-19 Adaptation Fund and other tourism sector-specific schemes. I am committed to continuing support for tourism through this difficult period and to working towards reopening and recovery. As part of the National Economic Recovery Plan, Government will be outlining how it will help people return to work and further support sectors which have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Along with my colleagues in Government, I will consider more targeted measures to help reboot those sectors, such as tourism, which will face particular challenges during the recovery phase when the economy reopens.
I also recently announced details of Fáilte Ireland’s €17m Outdoor Dining Grant Scheme, which will be delivered in partnership between Fáilte Ireland and the Local Authorities and is designed to support tourism businesses increase their outdoor dining capacity. I also launched Phase Two of Fáilte Ireland’s Platforms for Growth Tourism Investment Programme, which will provide €19m in funding for the development of activity facility centres in selected waterside locations around the country, where water-based activities are a key visitor attraction.
I am aware that Fáilte Ireland, at the appropriate time, will be launching their domestic tourism marketing campaign, ‘Keep Discovering’. International access to Ireland is also pivotal for tourism. In this regard, I continue to work closely with my colleagues in Government in respect of international travel policy, in particular the European Commission proposal on a Digital Green Certificate. We will make every effort to reopen safe international travel and tourism at the earliest possible opportunity.
