Ms Elaina Fitzgerald Kane:

There are acute shortages even with so many people laid off. There has always been a shortage in chef skills. My colleagues have shortages in front office, food service and accommodation staff. A considerable amount of work is being done on front-loading, upskilling and cross-selling opportunities but it will not be enough. Ideally, we need a lead-in period of six to eight weeks but we cannot be prisoners to that either because of the all important impact of July and August.

Senator Byrne can see in County Wexford that what happens in those months buoys up the rest of the year. That is in a normal year but this not a normal time. We have a hole over the last 12 months. The Senator has raised an important point. A contingent date has been announced in Belgium but we have never known the difference between levels 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. It is important we understand and there is a plan in place so that everybody has something to work towards.