Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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120. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to address the concerns of tour operators undergoing difficulties as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29646/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I understand the Deputy has clarified that this PQ is in relation to the ITOA (Incoming Tour operators association).

I recently met with the ITOA and I am acutely aware of the impact Covid-19 is having on Tour Operators and on the Tourism sector as a whole. Tour operators provide a vital service to the tourism industry and are important ambassadors in the tourism experience and promoting our excellent tourism product. We will need them when the recovery begins.

Along with my colleagues in Government, I have taken a number of measures to help the tourism sector survive this current crisis. The July Stimulus Package introduced significant measures to help support businesses to recover following the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. Tourism enterprises will also benefit from wider horizontal supports such as the new Employment Wage Support Scheme, liquidity and enterprise investment measures, warehousing of tax liabilities and the extension for a further three months of the waiver of commercial rates.

All of these measures have helped the sector. I appreciate, however, that severe challenges remain and we need to continue to examine ways to ensure that businesses survive and recover. The Tourism Recovery Taskforce appointed in May has just submitted its report to me and I am glad to say that a number of important measures have been delivered in today's Budget including: a reduction in the VAT rate for the sector, business continuity support for strategic businesses, as well as a further extension of the rates waiver to the end of the year. Based on today's Budget allocations Fáilte Ireland will now be working with the sector to support strategic tourism businesses.