Ms Ruth Andrews:

The Deputy is correct, tourism is predominantly 20,000 SMEs. Every effort is being made to filter the supports we need to get to as many of those as possible. We have received Government funding and support in the budget. This morning Mr. Connick and I took part in the national economic plan discussion. Part of the development of the task force's report relates to survival. When we started our work at the end of May and early June, we might not have expected the survival phase to last as long as we now recognise it must. It is important to recognise that. Horizontal supports are available across the economy. Specific supports are available for tourism and there are also broader supports available through the local enterprise offices etc. Mr. Connick spoke of them in his opening remarks.

We want to ensure that the plan is implemented. The Minister, in accepting this report and taking it to Government, recognised that this an important next step and I can assure the committee it is something that she intends to follow through on very quickly. She does see the report as a living document and she understands that the next six months will be critical to implementing some of the survival measures. A lot of work has been done and there is still more to do.

On getting the supports to as many businesses as possible, every assistance is being given particularly through the work of Fáile Ireland. I want to recognise Paul Kelly, its chief executive, who is a member of the TRT whose participation is most valuable. It is always looking and talking to the industry to see how it can support every sector. A sector I work in that is probably not visible to many is the inbound tour operator sector. It brings 700,000 visitors to Ireland annually. They are high-spending visitors, spending an average of eight nights here. They consume every type of tourism product and even go beyond tourism product. They have lost 95% of their business this year. Without international access they have been unable to operate. That is a sector that requires support. The TRT has discussed supporting sectors which will be strategic assets to the recovery of tourism when we get to that stage. It is fully recognised that sectors within tourism need support because they are not able to access all the horizontal measures out there. They will be supported through what the budget has delivered but we need to find a way to ensure that domestic tourism grows and that it is spread across all parts of the island, not just the west coast. We have fabulous product in the Border counties, Ireland's Hidden Heartland and the Ancient East. We need to embed that and make sure that the domestic audience is fully aware of the terrific opportunity and great value in holidaying in Ireland.

This report is a three-year recovery plan. It is phased. We are aware that we need to do specific things now in the survival phase but we will also look to the Government and the national economic plan to support the recommendations that have been put forward. It will look towards ensuring that support continues so that we reach stabilisation and recovery comes, that tourism can recover really quickly. We have proven that in the past. There is an opportunity to keep businesses alive across the country so that when the recovery comes, we can strengthen it by the pace required.