Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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241. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the supports being provided to businesses and workers in the circus sector. [22708/21]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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247. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she made representations on behalf of the circus sector for its inclusion under the Covid-19 restrictions support scheme; the supports being provided to businesses and workers in the circus sector; and if she will meet with representatives of the sector such as a group (details supplied) to discuss their needs under restrictions. [22709/21]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 247 together.

The Government has worked to support businesses through this difficult time with a comprehensive range of measures for firms of all sizes. The measures include the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) now extended until the 30th of June, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), the Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities, the waiver of commercial rates the Sustaining Enterprise Fund and a reduced VAT rate from 13.5% to 9% for the hospitality and tourism sector to help businesses in the entertainment, tourism and hospitality sectors.

Budget 2021 included a number of further substantial measures to support and strengthen the tourism sector, such as the provision of an additional €55m in Business Continuity funding to support strategic tourism businesses. This funding will be administered by Fáilte Ireland and focused on those strategic businesses. Fáilte Ireland are currently engaging with those tourism sectors in the design of funding schemes taking into account the effect of other horizontal funding measures.

The Deputy should also note that in the 2021 Budget, the Government allocated significant additional resources to Departments to provide help to different sectors, including €222m allocated to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

My colleague, Minister Catherine Martin T.D., Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, would be most appropriate to approach in connection with a request to meet as she has lead responsibility for this sector.