Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That concludes our business today. I thank the gentlemen for their presentations. I hope we might be able to take action on some of the ideas and suggestions from our earlier witnesses today. I thank the witnesses before us who have responded very well to those suggestions. I know they are working furiously in the background on this issue. The truth of the matter is that this issue affects many sectors - not only the hospitality sector but also the retail sector and many others. The problem of recruiting and retaining staff is one we are all hearing. It is a major challenge. The bigger picture from the VFI's message is that it is a long game and we must put a plan in place that will map out over the next three or four years how we will get people to take up courses or to view employment in the sector as a long-term career. It is a challenge but I have no doubt that the witnesses are well capable of addressing it in their Department. I thank them both.

I also thank colleagues for joining us. The committee will met in private session via MS Teams at 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 1 June 2022.