Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First, the economy is recovering faster overall than any other in the European Union. One just has to look at the tax receipts which were, for the first 11 months of this year, over €62 billion. That is more than €5.3 billion ahead of target. The budget deficit this year is said to be much smaller than forecast, one of the smallest in European Union. This is basically good policy at work. It is interesting that there are 30,800 job vacancies now in the third quarter, compared to 17,900 in the same time period two years ago. Many job vacancies are out there at the moment. In respect of the sectors of the economy that have been worst affected as a result of restrictions I, along with the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Varadkar, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin, and the Minister for Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, met with approximately 30 or 40 representatives of the hospitality sector and the live entertainment, music and theatre groups. We are going to go back to them with bespoke models to assist them to keep theatres open, to keep artists performing and to support the ongoing work in hospitality.

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