Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
15. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the details of the Fáilte Ireland business continuity scheme which supports businesses not covered by the Covid restrictions support scheme; the breakdown of allocations and recipients by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47980/21]
View answerIn Budget 2021 I secured a record level of funding of just under €221m for tourism, including €55 million for Fáilte Ireland's Tourism Business Continuity Scheme.
The purpose of the funding provided through the Tourism Business Continuity Scheme has been to support strategic tourism businesses to survive through the pandemic and help drive the recovery of tourism. There have been five phases of the Scheme to date, which ran from February to September this year. The various phases of the Scheme provided a direct financial contribution to support business continuity plans and contribute towards fixed costs.
Phase One supported businesses that were ineligible to receive the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) such as outdoor tourism activity providers, tourism golf courses, hop-on hop-off tourism bus tour operators, cruise hire companies, tourism boat tour operators, visitor attractions, and caravan and camping and outdoor accommodation providers. I am happy to confirm that more than €7.6m was provided to 280 successful applicants in this phase.
Phase Two supported the tourism transport sector as it was deemed a strategically important sector that enables visitors to access the geographically dispersed Irish tourism offering. This Phase has seen grants amounting to over €13.3m awarded to 201 applicants.
Phase One Plus, which is the third Phase of the Scheme, is a continuation of the earlier Phase One. This phase supported certain tourism businesses that were ineligible or not included in Phase One, or who had missed the deadline. Under Phase One Plus €1.6m has been provided to 43 applicants.
Phases 4 and 5 of Fáilte Ireland’s Tourism Business Continuity Scheme closed for applications on Friday, 24 September. Phase 4 is to support attractions and activity tourism operators with Phase 5 supporting Fáilte Ireland-approved tourism accommodation providers. Fáilte Ireland has begun making payments to successful applicants under Phase 4 and expects to commence payments under Phase 5 by November.
The Deputy asked for a breakdown of the Scheme's allocations and recipients by county. I have asked Fáilte Ireland to provide this more detailed information to the Deputy within ten working days.
