Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Some €45 million has been paid out in restart grants over the past number of months. It is a very welcome initiative to support businesses in getting back up and running so they can open their doors, continue to employ people and provide services across our State. Of that €2.376 million has been paid out in Galway city and €1.9 million in the rest of the county. It is very welcome in terms of the work that is needed to improve safety for clients, whether it be perspex sheeting or a range of other facilities needed by businesses to restart.

We know from the programme for Government the July stimulus will be hugely important and will be a flagship part of the new Government's economic proposals. I ask the Leader to try to ensure an early debate on the July stimulus once it is published or in advance of that, if that proves possible, to give Senators an opportunity to discuss the important areas of our country that need that extra boost.The hospitality and tourism sector is an area that is particularly important in my constituency and in many constituencies in the west of Ireland. We have seen the importance of tourism in many areas and it is important that whatever initiatives form part of the July stimulus include specific proposals on tourism and hospitality. It is important in terms of employment and investment. We hope will see more Irish people staying at home this year to take staycations. If the weather improves and we get a proper summer and autumn, people will be encouraged to stay at home and spend in their own localities and other parts of Ireland they may not yet have visited. I ask that the Leader follow that up.