Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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123. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the financial supports in place to assist the travel agency sector in view of the impact of Covid-19 on the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25977/20]

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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124. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the supports that have been put in place for travel agents in view of the decimation of travel and tourism due to Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27365/20]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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126. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his interactions with the Irish travel agent sector during the Covid-19 pandemic period. [25981/20]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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127. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the supports for sectors most affected by Covid-19, in particular the travel agency sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30564/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 123, 124, 126 and 127 together.

I am aware of the serious difficulties, which the Deputies have raised, and which are ongoing for Irish licensed travel agents and tour operators in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the catastrophic collapse of overseas travel and tourism. I understand that due to continuing travel restrictions the travel trade industry has not been able to reclaim any meaningful level of lost trade over the past 8 months.

The travel trade is primarily an SME sector, and as such travels agents and tour operators have access to all of the various business supports made available in the July stimulus package and in last month's Budget. Budget 2021 contains historic levels of State support for the SME sector in the form of wage supports, financial grants and waived commercial rates. In addition, under current Level 5 Covid restrictions, travel agents and tour operators operating from business premises that customers are prohibited or significantly restricted from accessing may be eligible for the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS). Any queries in relation to the operation of the CRSS should be directed to the Revenue Commissioners. Taken together, I would be hopeful that these significant measures will help safeguard the travel sector throughout the difficult months ahead so that it will be ready to trade fully again when circumstances permit.

The only meaningful solution, of course, is people booking holidays and overseas trips again. Recent developments provide a basis to hope that the travel trade will be able to start rebuilding their business and customer base in the New Year. Taken together, the prospect of effective vaccines, the recent agreement by the Government of the European Traffic Light System, and the new protocols around testing people travelling into and out of Ireland offer a clear pathway back to growth for the sector.