Written answers

Thursday, 11 February 2021

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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84. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the situation faced by coach operators (details supplied) who are concerned that the funding available through the Fáilte Ireland coach tourism business continuity scheme will not be sufficient to keep them in business until tourism restarts; if she will allocate additional funding to the scheme given that these companies are unable to apply for other pandemic financial supports; if she had discussions with the Minister for Finance with a view to developing a specific payment for coach tourism operators along the lines of the Covid restrictions support scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7573/21]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I am acutely aware of the devastating loss of business being experienced by tourism businesses including the coach tourism sector as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The July Stimulus and Budget 2021 provided a significant package of tax and fiscal measures to build the resilience of the economy and to help vulnerable but viable businesses across all sectors. As part of this a dedicated fund of €10million was introduced for a Coach Tourism Business Continuity Scheme in the last quarter of 2020. Fáilte Ireland are processing applications for this scheme.

In regard to the future, as with other sectors, the Government will continue to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and to ensure that appropriate supports are in place to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic.

Photo of Johnny GuirkeJohnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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85. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount that has been awarded to date to associations (details supplied) from the Covid-19 response funds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7585/21]

Photo of Jack ChambersJack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, a Covid-19 funding package of €85 million was provided last year to support the sport sector. This significant investment benefited all levels of the sport sector including thousands of grassroots clubs across the country and provided some certainty for sporting organisations in their planning for 2021.

A full breakdown of the grants awarded by Sport Ireland under each of the Covid-19 funding schemes is available on Sport Ireland's website www.sportireland.ie.

The amounts awarded to the organisations mentioned by the Deputy are outlined in the table below.

Organisation Covid-19 funding awarded
GAA €30.995 million*
IRFU €18.2 million
FAI €13.2 million

*Includes support to the GAA, LGFA and The Camogie Association, gaelic games clubs, and for the running of the GAA, Ladies Gaelic Football and Camogie Inter-County Championships in 2020.

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