Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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93. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the representations she has made to the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform regarding the need to return the employment wage subsidy scheme to the previous rate under the temporary wage subsidy scheme for the tourism sector given the long-term effects of the Covid-19 restrictions on business owners and workers in that sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27686/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The design of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) reflects the changing environment around the COVID-19 pandemic which has shifted from crisis mode to one of living alongside the virus, in line with the recently announced Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19. As a result, a number of flexibilities have been included in the EWSS, while the rates and eligibility criteria have been modified so that the support is sustainable from an Exchequer cost perspective.

The objective of the EWSS is to maintain the link between employees and employers insofar as is possible and a number of elements are contained in the scheme that have particular benefit to the tourism sector raised. For example, it includes employees that were not previously eligible for the TWSS, such as seasonal workers and new hires, and applications for such workers under the EWSS may be backdated to 1 July 2020.

The operation of the EWSS and its effectiveness will be kept under close review over the coming months. The relevant legislation obliges the Minister for Finance to monitor the scheme and empowers him to make certain adjustments across the whole scheme where he determines that these are necessary.

I am acutely aware of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism sector. In this regard the Tourism Recovery Taskforce is expected to publish its Final Recovery Plan shortly and I will consider its recommendations at that stage.  In the context of the Budget and the development of the National Economic Plan, the Government will review and, if necessary, refine existing supports and consider any further necessary measures.