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Departmental Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2021

Tuesday, 15 June 2021

Questions (506, 507)

Imelda Munster

Question:

506. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the additional €55 million announced in budget 2021 for the business support scheme is a once-off Covid-19 payment for 2021; if it can be understood to be a new component of her Department’s baseline core funding allocation; the amount of it that has been spent to date; the amount expected to be spent by the end of 2021; and the amount expected to be carried over to 2022. [31070/21]

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Imelda Munster

Question:

507. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the additional €5 million announced in budget 2021 for tourism product development is a once-off Covid-19 payment for 2021; if it can be understood to be a new component of her Department’s baseline core funding allocation; the amount of it that has been spent to date; the amount expected to be spent by the end of 2021; and the amount expected to be carried over to 2022. [31071/21]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 506 and 507 together.

The Revised Estimates for 2021 recognise the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the sectors under the aegis of my Department as well as the impact of BREXIT and they also reflect the commitments contained in the Programme for Government – Our Shared Future. However, there is no specific categorisation of funding allocations within programme areas other than by subhead.

As the Deputy is aware, I secured a total of just under €221m for tourism funding from Budget 2021, from which I was allocated €50m in direct response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Combined with existing resources, this supported Fáilte Ireland's Tourism Business Continuity Scheme, which had a total fund €55m, and the €5 million allocated to focused training in the tourism sector and investment in digitalisation in the sector to start to prepare for the post-Covid economy.

To date, Fáilte Ireland has drawn down €37.447 million of its 2021 current expenditure allocation of €120.836 million and I anticipate that the full allocation will be spent by year end.

In relation to capital expenditure, €33.8 million has been allocated in 2021 for Tourism Product Development to Fáilte Ireland. To date €3m million has been drawn down by Fáilte Ireland. The amount that will be spent this year is subject to the progress of capital projects. While it is too early to accurately forecast the full end of year outturn, all expenditure within my Department's vote will continue to be carefully monitored between now and year end to ensure the best use of available financial resources.

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