Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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799. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has considered specific supports for scheduled services in the tourism sector such as grants to adapt vehicles. [7613/20]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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Following clarification with the Deputy's Office, I understand this questions relates to supports for all tourism businesses.

My Department has liaised with other Government departments and industry representative bodies, to align the economy wide COVID-19 supports and initiatives with tourism and hospitality needs.

The measures put in place by the Government to support businesses initially focused on supporting those who have lost their jobs and in supporting businesses to remain viable during this difficult time with specifically targeted supports to assist companies to stay operational and retain their staff.

As a result, many tourism businesses are now availing the various cross-sectoral economic supports that the Government has already put in place such as; the wage subsidy scheme, increased unemployment benefits, the state credit guarantee scheme, working capital loan schemes, enterprise support schemes and deferrals of tax liabilities, VAT, social contributions and local authority rates.

Government will continue to explore funding potential for all enterprises including tourism businesses as they work through the challenges facing them, including through any mechanisms allowable through the EU’s state aid framework.

Fáilte Ireland has set up a COVID-19 Industry Advisory Group which meets weekly. The purpose of this group is to provide support to the tourism industry and to facilitate the timely sharing of information and insights to help improve the sector's understanding and response to the crisis. Fáilte Ireland has also developed a COVID-19 Business Support Hub which offers a suite of targeted supports for tourism businesses including a series of webinars from experts in each field, as well as advice guides with detailed FAQs and templates where necessary.

On 1st May, the Government published a Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business to ease the COVID-19 restrictions and reopen Ireland’s economy in a phased manner. In this regard Fáilte Ireland, in conjunction with the relevant authorities, is currently preparing guidelines for the tourism sector.

Minister Ross and I have appointed a Tourism Recovery Taskforce to prepare a Tourism Recovery Plan which will include a set of recommendations on how best the Irish tourism sector can adapt and recover in the changed tourism environment as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. The plan will identify priority aims, key enablers and market opportunities for the sector for the period 2020-2023. The Taskforce may consult with stakeholders to inform its deliberations and report back this year.

Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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800. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has considered launching a public transport recovery taskforce in order to identify challenges and solutions for the public transport system here with regard to Covid-19 restrictions. [7614/20]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. Ensuring the provision of integrated public transport services (bus, rail, light-rail and taxi) by public and private operators throughout the State is the statutory responsibility of the National Transport Authority.

The Government has been clear that continued operation of the public transport sector is important, and it has been designated among the essential services that are to carry on. I would like to thank operators and staff for their continued dedication to providing this vital service in such challenging times.

Over the course of the COVID-19 crisis, my Department has been working closely with the National Transport Authority (NTA) to ensure public transport services continue and to plan for the provision of enhanced public transport services in line with the Government Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business. In this context, the NTA is engaging directly with both PSO and commercial transport operators and will publish their proposals shortly. My Department is also engaging directly with PSO and commercial operators to help inform policy decisions in relation to the public transport sector as we progress through the various phases of the Roadmap. My Department is also engaged intensively across Government in relation to progressing relevant issues. In view of these necessary approaches and engagements to address what is already a complex and difficult set of issues, I have no plans, at this time, to establish an additional administrative structure.