Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputies Kerrane and Andrews, each of us taking five minutes.

I send my condolences to the family and friends of our comrade, Bobby Storey, who will be laid to rest today. Bobby epitomised republicanism in Ireland and will be dearly missed. I have no doubt but that he would be happy in the knowledge of the strides our party has taken in recent years to get to where we are.

Looking at these figures, I would like to ensure certainties for the small and medium-sized business sector in particular. In my constituency of Clare the past couple of months have been particularly tough on the region. We have seen the reduction in the number of flights into Shannon and the lack of tourism has placed many jobs in the Clare region in a precarious position. West Clare, in particular, should be bustling with the tourism season but it instead faces concern and worry about the future of approximately 6,500 jobs. I have been contacted by many business owners in the region who depend mainly on the summer tourism industry. They have openly expressed concerns about the lack of support for their business in accessing the TWSS. The problem is that the scheme calculates an employee's earnings only over the months of January and February of this year. The issue is that many of these businesses are mainly seasonal, and employees would have been either temporarily laid off or on reduced working weeks at that time. This matter has also been raised by my colleague, Deputy Pa Daly. This issue within the wage subsidy scheme needs to be addressed and amended in order that as many workers who can return to work do so; otherwise, small and medium-sized businesses will be the most affected. Will the Tánaiste address this issue within the TWSS?

I also refer to the recent decision by Shannon Group to close some sites from the end of August. This decision is wrong, premature and needs to be revised. The Chief Medical Officer is calling on the Irish people to have staycations, and that is for two simple reasons: first, to stop the spread of Covid-19 and, second, to kick-start the economy. I fully agree with the CMO's suggestion and believe that the decision by Shannon Group contradicts the sensible, smart suggestion by him. What measures can the Tánaiste's Department implement to incentivise or support Shannon Group sites in order that they can remain open after August, and will he intervene in the matter?

I welcome the recent announcement of funding to the tune of €6.1 million for Shannon Airport but I would like confirmation on this. Can the Tánaiste reaffirm that this money is safe? The recent announcement by Aer Lingus and United Airlines to withdraw services from Shannon has only added more threats to the future of the airport.

Will the Government ensure ongoing funding for Shannon Airport will be made available should it be required? What supports does the Tánaiste's Department intend to put in place to ensure the tourism sector in Clare can weather this storm and come out on the other side? What supports will be put in place to ensure rural Ireland, and the west in particular, can bounce back post-Covid-19?

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