Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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54. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will consider the requests of the members of an organisation (details supplied) and the inbound tourism sector for direct financial support of €20 million in 2021 through an extension of the Ireland based inbound agents business continuity scheme which was successfully introduced and administered by Fáilte Ireland in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23460/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Horizontal measures introduced by Government, such as the EWSS and the CRSS, the sector-specific measures I have introduced to date, including the Tourism Business Continuity Scheme, the Coach and Inbound Tour Operators Schemes, and the Covid Adaptation Scheme are key in helping tourism businesses to survive and adapt.

I am fully committed to continuing support for tourism through this difficult period and to working towards reopening and recovery, including the businesses referred to by the Deputy. In this context, as part of the National Economic Recovery Plan, the Government will consider more targeted measures to help reboot those sectors, such as tourism, which will face particular challenges during the recovery phase when the economy reopens.

Administration of the Ireland Based Inbound Operators Business Continuity Scheme is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. I have accordingly referred the Deputy's question to Fáilte Ireland for further information and direct reply to the Deputy. Please contact my private office if you have not received a reply within ten working days.