Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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235. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will appoint a restaurant representative and pub representative to the tourism recovery oversight group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28377/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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In line with the recommendation in the Tourism Recovery Plan, a Recovery Oversight Group was appointed in December 2020. The purpose of the Group is to oversee the implementation of the Recovery Plan produced by the Tourism Recovery Taskforce and monitor the sector’s recovery from the COVID crisis.

The Recovery Oversight Group is made up of an independent chairperson and 8 other members with a broad spectrum of backgrounds who were selected on the basis of each person's capacity to bring his/her personal knowledge, skills, experience, competence, capability, strategic leadership and ideas to the work of the group. I appointed individuals who, together, will work for the good of Irish tourism as a whole. No specific sector was deliberately included and likewise, no specific sector was deliberately excluded. A recovery in the tourism sector will be beneficial for all businesses which depend on the sector, including pubs and restaurants.

In October 2020, I, together with the Tánaiste, Minister Varadkar, established a Hospitality and Tourism Forum to provide a platform for structured engagement between the Hospitality and Tourism sector, the tourism agencies and relevant Government Departments in light of the COVID crisis. Its purpose is to allow key issues of relevance to the sectors to be discussed, with a view to identifying practical actions which could be taken by government (national or local), or by industry itself, to support the sectors. The Forum enables the Tánaiste and I to engage with a wide spectrum of industry stakeholders in order to assess the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to help improve understanding and responses to the crisis and to discuss ideas for recovery measures, thus assisting the Government in formulating its on-going response to the crisis. The forum has met three times to date i.e. in October 2020, December 2020 and March 2021 and is hugely beneficial in helping me to understand the particular concerns of each sector within tourism and hospitality. The next meeting of this forum is scheduled for 2nd June.

Representatives from the Hospitality and Tourism sectors on the Forum include:

- Irish Hotels Federation

- Restaurants Association of Ireland

- Vintners Federation of Ireland

- Licensed Vintners Association

- Drinks Ireland

- Association of Irish Professional Conference Organisers

- B&B Ireland

- Event Industry Ireland

- Irish Self Catering Federation

- Irish Tourism Industry Confederation

- Incoming Tour Operators Association

- Coach Tourism & Transport Council of Ireland

- Association for the Visitor Experience and Attractions

- Irish Congress of Trade Union

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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236. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the names of persons or sectors who were appointed by Fáilte Ireland to the tourism recovery task forces (details supplied). [28378/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The matter raised is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. I have referred this question to them for direct response to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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237. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if outdoor cinemas are permitted to operate along with other outdoor amenities from 29 May 2021; if not, the rationale for this sector to continue to be closed while other outdoor amenities remain open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28389/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Subject to the prevailing public health situation, the Government has been delivering a phased easing of public health restrictions over the period since April this year.

The Government continues to keep the situation over review with a view to continuing to reopen sectors, services and activities as the public health situation allows. The public health advice prepared by the National Public Health Emergency Team is considered as part of the Government’s decision-making process. Once the Government has taken its decision, the Minister for Health prepares regulations under the Section 31A of the Health Act 1947 . Drive-in cinemas are not allowed to operate under the current regulations which set out the public health restrictions in place at present.

The Government is cognisant of the significant impact the COVID-19 crisis has and continues to have. The intention is to make steady progress with the reopening of society and the economy while avoiding a further wave of disease and re-imposition of restrictions.

As has been the case at each stage of the easing of restrictions, the set of measures introduced is intended to incrementally re-open the country while minimising the risks of transmission in, alignment with risk levels. The Government is cognizant of the impact of any and all restrictions across every sector and fully aware of the challenges individuals and businesses continue to face.

As we progress with the Recovery and Resilience: The Path Ahead plan, work is continuing on a number of other issues in preparation for the coming months. Further re-openings will be considered, in the context of the public health situation, and decided on by Government shortly.