Pat Casey (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I sat here through five hours of debate on the Finance Bill that involved very little about that Bill. We are talking about understanding my own sector and the impact of the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS, on seasonal hotels. I am not too sure if that was mentioned. We are also discussing what was announced yesterday regarding the potential closing time of 5 p.m. for the hospitality sector. I want it make it quite clear. Closure at 5 p.m. is closure of the hospitality sector by stealth. Asking the hospitality sector to survive after closure at 5 p.m. is unrealistic.

The closure of the EWSS to seasonal hotels, which will be unable to re-apply in January, February and March, is unfair. Should there not be equality of treatment within the hospitality industry? A seasonal hotel that shuts down in October, November or December must come off the EWSS. If it tries to re-open in February, March or April, it cannot qualify for the EWSS because it is not open to new applicants. Perhaps it is an anomaly in the system and perhaps something can be done for seasonal hotels, which I believe make up 18% of the hotel sector and 11,000 jobs. Those 11,000 jobs are viable to all of us. I apologise for my interruption but I did sit through five hours of debate on the Finance Bill-----