Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We have a very serious problem with the volume of tourism accommodation we have made available as part of our solidarity with the people of Ukraine who are seeking accommodation. Outside Dublin, an average of 30% of tourism accommodation has been provided. In the north west, an area with which the Leas-Cheann Comhairle is familiar, the average is as high as 60%. In places such as Rosses Point, it is 100%. In places such as Bundoran, it is approximately 75%. On average, throughout the north west and along the Wild Atlantic Way, the figure is 60%. There are particular issues in areas outside Galway city and Sligo town.

As the Minister of State will be aware, 2019 was the last proper year for tourism before the Covid-19 pandemic. We had tourism revenues of €5.2 billion. A reply to a parliamentary question I tabled referred to a direct correlation between every euro spent on accommodation for tourism and money in the economy. According to the Minister, an additional €2 to €3 falls to interdependent businesses within the economy for every €1 spent on accommodation. The same reply stated that while the Department does not have specific research, it is reasonable to say that if we have a 30% reduction in accommodation, there will be a 30% reduction in revenue. That would be in the region of €1.3 billion. Given the disproportionate amount of tourism accommodation involved - between 60% and 100% of the beds in the north west - we are going to suffer a disproportionate impact when the season begins next month. That is a major problem because our economies are hugely dependent on that eight-month season, including restaurants, bars, activity providers, local shops, supermarkets, personal care providers, including hairdressers, and so on.

There is going to be a need for a specific scheme to support these businesses. Otherwise, they will quite simply go under.

The other area on which there will be an impact is seasonal employment. Thankfully, we now have the Atlantic Technological University, ATU in our region but many from the region are students in Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Cork and elsewhere and they depend on seasonal employment to save money to cater for their exponentially rising accommodation, living and transport costs and so on. When I raised this with the Tánaiste some weeks ago, I regret to say that he was decidedly dismissive of it. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, according to replies I received some weeks ago, has no plans for an intervention. The problem is that we will be here in July talking about something, long after the horse has bolted. I very much hope that the Minister of State will respond positively, alongside his Government colleagues. An all-of-government approach is needed to ensure we have Covid-style supports for the wider business community and seasonal employees who are going to be adversely affected by this reality.

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