Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will avoid the formalities but I wish the Minister well in her Department.

By now I am sure the Minister is well aware of a proposal by Shannon Group to close the tourist attraction facilities at Bunratty Folk Park together with King John's Castle at the end of August, a decision that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Of course, the decision is dressed up by the management and the board as a response to the fallout from Covid. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a bad decision and will further undermine the effort to rebuild business when the pandemic has passed. Viable domestic market business at Hallowe'en and Christmas will be lost and will be unlikely to return. The Minister's intervention is needed to persuade the board and management of the need to keep the attractions open. I know that there have been communications between the board and management and various Departments and that a request has been made for approximately €4 million. I appeal to the Minister and her Government colleagues to give very serious consideration to this request because it will help to protect this vital business.

The July statement brought a welcome injection of cash into the economy, and the tourism sector, as the Minister said, badly needs that. Can the Minister confirm that the bed and breakfast businesses that will avail of the restart grant do not necessarily have to be affiliated to Bord Fáilte? Can she also confirm that a business such as that run by Sean Kilkenny, a jarvey and carriage ride service based in Dromoland Castle, will be able to avail of the new enhanced restart grant, even though the business does not pay rates to the local authority? There is a business continuity aspect to this. As the Minister indicated, she is prepared to provide funds to the coach sector. Coach businesses are really under pressure, but so too is a business such as Mr. Kilkenny's. The Covid pandemic payment to the individuals concerned is not enough to sustain the horse business. Horses have to be fed over the winter. Up to 40 horses cannot be fed on a €350 pandemic unemployment payment.