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Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 November 2021

Thursday, 11 November 2021

Questions (137)

Joe Flaherty

Question:

137. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the current and planned measures to support businesses and jobs in the hospitality sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55126/21]

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Written answers

The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the tourism industry. As we rebuild this vital sector, which supports livelihoods all across Ireland, we have an opportunity to ensure that the sector recovers and grows in a way which delivers social and economic gain to cities, towns and villages all across Ireland, more evenly spread throughout the year, and in a manner that protects our unique environment. The significant additional funding that I have secured for tourism services in Budget 2022 will help address immediate survival-related concerns of tourism businesses while also enabling further resilience and recovery across industry as we reopen to international tourism and transition to a more sustainable future.  

The  funding for Tourism in Budget 2022 amounting to €288.5m represents an increase of €67.6m over the 2021 allocation. This includes €50m funding for further Tourism Business Continuity Supports to assist strategic tourism businesses with their survival and recovery. 

The budget measures also include a €35m increase in the Tourism Marketing Fund in 2022 to enable Tourism Ireland to support the delivery of a marketing strategy to help restore inbound tourism to Ireland. Funding is also being provided for a range of initiatives including domestic marketing and festivals, supporting the digitalisation of tourism businesses as well as skills development and staff retention.  €36.5m is also being  provided in capital funding for tourism product development for the delivery of enhanced visitor experiences in line with the objectives of the National Development Plan 2021-2030.  

The supports for Tourism also include a range of cross-Government measures which will assist the sector in its recovery and growth. Tourism businesses continue to benefit from measures such as the continuation of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme to April 2022, tax warehousing and a commercial rates waiver while the 9% VAT rate for hospitality remains in place until September 2022.

In relation to jobs in the tourism sector, a work programme is currently underway by Fáilte Ireland to understand the views of employers and employees around the skills and labour force challenges facing the sector. Fáilte Ireland is also engaging with the recruitment sector and undertaking an international review to understand the experience of other sectors and other destinations. The work programme is informing the agency’s work plans on how to support businesses to drive change, retain talent and build the appeal of working in the industry.  

Fáilte Ireland carried out a number of activities in 2021 supporting the industry’s recruitment drive for reopening including chairing the Tourism and Hospitality Careers Oversight Group, delivering a multi-channel #BeThePulse Recruitment Awareness Campaign, promoting and enhancing tourismcareers.ie website and working with education providers and with the  with the Department of Social Protection to promote the Government’s Pathways to Work strategy.

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