Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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268. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the measures taken to implement the recommendations of the Recovery Oversight Group for Tourism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23289/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Recovery Plan submitted to me by the Tourism Recovery Taskforce last year will continue to be an important consideration for me as I evaluate additional measures to support the recovery of the sector. The Recovery Oversight Group will keep me apprised of progress with regard to implementation of the Recovery Plan and the recovery of the sector more generally.

The Oversight Group presented its first report to me in February, setting out progress to date and areas it has identified as requiring attention. The report welcomes the progress made to date and highlighted a number of areas on which the Oversight Group recommends the Government should focus its attention. I brought this report to the attention of my colleagues in Government to ensure they are fully up to date with the position in tourism as we prepare the National Economic Recovery Plan.

A number of the areas highlighted by the Group have already been addressed in the COVID plan, The Path Ahead. The CRSS, EWSS and Local Authority Rates waiver have all been extended out to the end of June 2021. As Minister with responsibility for tourism, I am delighted that we have been able to begin the process of reopening the sector, one of the worst hit by the pandemic, in the latest easing of restrictions. From 10 May, we will be able to once again enjoy a broad range of cultural and tourism experiences around the country. As we move further into the summer, we will see this welcomed reopening expanding into other areas of the tourism and hospitality sector, with hotels and other accommodation open from 2 June. Across Government, we will also continue to work at national and EU level on the safe return of inbound international tourism, which remains critical for the sector. In the context of the report submitted by the Oversight Group, I also welcome the substantial progress made under the Action Plan for Insurance Reform.

These are just the first steps in our plan for reopening. If we continue to work together, doing the right things, in the right way, we will be in a position to reopen many more services and venues into the future. Updates from the Recovery Oversight Group, along with the original Recovery Plan produced by the Tourism Recovery Taskforce, will continue to inform my options in terms of helping tourism to recover in a meaningful and sustainable way.