Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Fáilte Ireland is working hand in glove with key sectoral bodies on the tourism and hospitality oversight group, which is pivoted to focus on supporting the industry to address some of its immediate recruitment challenges in the months ahead. Obviously, matters relating to wage rates are set by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and we are working with the Department as part of the career oversight group. The current staffing and skills shortages in the tourism sector are unprecedented. However, staffing shortages are not just a problem in the tourism sector. There are many sectors in the Irish economy facing this same change. Tourism around the world is also experiencing it. The loss of skilled workers and the difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff is undoubtedly one of the greatest barriers to the sector's recovery from the pandemic. Even before Covid, the tourism industry faced a particular set of employment challenges in attracting and retaining workers. The closure of the sector exacerbated those challenges. Fáilte Ireland estimates that there are more than 40,000 vacancies in the industry across all roles, with almost a quarter estimated at management level. As I said, every piece of work now with Fáilte Ireland is being occupied with trying to work within that oversight group to meet the unprecedented challenges in the months ahead.

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