Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the publication of National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021. It is a €4 billion plan. A sum of €2 billion is to support 600,000 employees and workers through the continuation of the PUP and EWSS, which are important. It gives workers confidence and belief to employers. I have been pushing for this.

Sectors such as aviation, hospitality and tourism have been decimated by Covid. Prior to the pandemic, aviation employed 140,000 people nationally, with Shannon Airport underpinning 47,300 jobs, making a contribution of €3.6 billion to GDP. I welcome the Government’s support in the form of operational and capital funding for our airports, including Shannon, throughout the pandemic. It is important that this funding be continued and that it become multi-annual. It is the driver of economic activity in the mid-west. Shannon deserves that support. This approach has been strongly recommended and advocated by the Shannon Chamber. This is a position I fully endorse.

The confirmation that we are to participate fully in the EU digital green certificate initiative is welcome. With the reopening of international travel on 19 July, airlines can finally plan and make services available but we need to adopt rapid antigen testing to bring us into line with other countries. We are an island nation and depend heavily on connectivity. It is critical that the Government secure a deal with Aer Lingus and that this deal have conditions, namely, conditions to secure the Aer Lingus base, the strategic business, tourism routes to Heathrow and North America, and the Heathrow slots.

I welcome the continuation of the 9% VAT rate until 2022. It is a vital support for the hospitality sector. The sector, including guest houses and self-catering accommodation, along with the arts, culture and entertainment sector, needs special measures to recover. These will need to be in place until summer 2022. The plan makes mention of the pilot reopening of sports and cultural events. This is most welcome. Such events are a beacon of hope. Pilot reopening events must be conducted throughout the country, not just in Dublin. We must look beyond outdoor events and embrace the use of antigen testing, similar to the rest of Europe, including the United Kingdom, and the rest of the world.

I am engaging with the Taoiseach’s office seeking his support for a pilot event in Ennis, County Clare. This is a carefully considered, well-researched project supported by Ennis Chamber, the object being to host a pilot reopening of the iconic Queens nightclub through the use of antigen testing. This proposal has the support of the business community in Ennis. As Ennis is the largest town in Munster and was the first town in Ireland to achieve Purple Flag status, I strongly believe this proposal must be endorsed by the Government. I look forward to continued engagement with the office of the Taoiseach in this regard.

The word “resilience” is used to define the Government’s plan. Resilience is the ability to withstand adversity and bounce back from difficult life events. In this really difficult period, we have heard a lot about mental health issues. I am disappointed that there is no reference in the plan to increased investment in mental health services. While I note there is a section on digital transformation, I do not see any reference to the acceleration of the national broadband plan. I understand, however, that there are plans in this regard. I ask the Minister to clarify this.

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