Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge that there is huge work under way but I am sure the Minister of State engages with and meets hospitality business owners on his travels and they are pulling their hair out to get qualified staff. I commend Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB, which has commenced a programme of training for bar staff with local bars. It is a focused programme that provides skills. The level of vacancy is a threat to businesses. Some 30% of 1,000 responders to this robust survey say they face closure unless it is resolved. We are either serious about tourism as an industry or we are not. We have to put it on a proper and co-ordinated footing in terms of training. Let us build on this fantastic report. It has to wake us up to the challenge we face and we need an action plan on training and recruitment.

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