asked the Minister for Labour the amount of money the Irish Hotels Federation have agreed to contribute towards the running cost of CERT; the amount of that money which has been received to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - CERT Running Cost.
17.
I have now secured the agreement of the hotel and guesthouse sector, through the Irish Hotels Federation, to increase its annual contribution to CERT to £180,000. Of this, £168,000 will be collected by December, 1988, through Bord Fáilte. I am proposing that the balance will come by way of increased liquor licence fees from hotels and my Department is at present examining the question — which, of course, involves businesses other than hotels and guesthouses — with the Department of Finance.
The contribution to CERT from the hotels and guesthouses recognises the importance of CERT's activities to the development of this sector and follows from consultations which I initiated following my Second Stage speech on the Labour Services Bill in June 1987.