Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like many other Senators, I welcome the Tánaiste to the House. I acknowledge his role, along with the Taoiseach, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and the wider Government, in trying to assist many people in business and employees in what I have described to the House on many occasions as extraordinary times, not ordinary times.

Before I speak about the hospitality and entertainment sector, despite the difficulties we have, it is very important to acknowledge the financial assistance that has been made available. In the course of three years, €48 billion has been laid out to support various sectors. The employment wage subsidy scheme has provided more than €5.5 billion in payments to employers and employees to date and €877 million has been foregone in PRSI payments. Of course, importantly, the EWSS will remain in place until April 2022. I acknowledge that many of us would like to tweak that scheme for businesses at the moment, but I am sure the Tánaiste might have some reference to make in that regard when he is summing up. As all present are aware, the number of employers on the EWSS has reduced, but it is now apparent that more people or businesses will probably be in need of it again.

Payments to date under the Covid restrictions support scheme have amounted to €704 million. The business resumption support scheme has been significant. Some 32% of registrants for the scheme were wet pubs, while 26% were other bars, restaurants, hotels or other accommodation providers. That reflects clearly the trouble the industry is in. More than 98,000 businesses have availed of Revenue debt warehousing. That is an important point. Several Members have mentioned the rates waiver. I acknowledge the latest announcement by the Government that the rates waiver will now apply for the first three months of 2022. It is very important and significant.

Like Senators Black, Malcolm Byrne and many others, I have grave concerns in respect of the entertainment and hospitality sector. The Tánaiste may correct me on this but I think I have the right figure. I looked up data on this last night. From memory, the hospitality and entertainment sector was worth approximately €5.18 billion in 2018.That is a very significant contribution to the running of our economy. One cannot even begin to think of the sector continuing to decline. Like Senator Black, I have several links to the entertainment business and have had down through the years. Our musicians and those who back them are in a lot of bother. As others have said, they, along with those in the hospitality sector, acknowledge the support given by the Government, but the reality of the entertainment business now is that nothing will recommence until late spring. Even at that stage, it will involve a whole rebuilding programme and take a long time. We should also remember that the entertainment sector is very much linked to the hospitality sector. Music weekends in hotels throughout the country are worth a fortune to the country and employ many people.

The latest restrictions have cut capacity in half, so it is a shutdown. The EWSS needs to be strengthened again, basically to keep staff. Following the most recent lockdown, many hotels and restaurants found their staff were gone and they had to go hunting for staff again. We cannot allow that to happen again. The capacity limit of six per table means extra staff are needed in hotels and restaurants. There is to be no service at the counter in hotels and bars and, therefore, extra staff are also needed for this reason.

It is important that through whatever is announced in the coming days, which I am confident will be important, we ensure the EWSS will be back where it was for the coming weeks and months. I hope the new variant will not be as dangerous as was first thought. Maybe we will be able to lift the restrictions a lot quicker than we thought.

All in all, it is a challenging position for the Government. It is important that, in all the debates, we lay out what the Government has done, but there is no doubt that there is a challenge. I am deeply concerned about the hospitality and entertainment sectors.