Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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256. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has considered providing additional funding for the Fáilte Ireland Ireland-based inbound agents business continuity scheme. [32966/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Government’s recently announced Economic Recovery Plan sets out a framework for recovery as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular for sectors most impacted, such as tourism. Under the Economic Recovery Plan, Government extended the period during which a range of horizontal and business supports will be available to enterprises and workers in all sectors of the economy, including the tourism sector. The relevant measures include:

- Extending the COVID Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS). Revisions will see payments for businesses reopening of up to €30,000;

- Extending the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme to 31 December;

- Extending the Commercial Rates Waiver to end-September 2021;

- Broadening of eligibility criteria for the Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID-19, which opens the scheme up to businesses in non-rated premises; and

- The ERP sets out the intention to introduce a new, additional and more streamlined business support scheme in September 2021, called the Business Resumption Support Scheme.

In addition to benefiting from revised and extended horizontal supports, the Economic Recovery Plan also provides for an extension of the 9% VAT rate to September 2022, which will continue to act as a stimulus for the tourism sector as it moves towards recovery.

These measures and supports will provide tourism businesses with much-needed clarity that will enable them to plan longer-term with confidence and accept bookings. The ERP also commits to continuing to provide business continuity schemes through Fáilte Ireland.

As the Deputy is aware, Fáilte Ireland ran an Ireland Based Inbound Agents Business Continuity Scheme of €10m in the final quarter of 2020. Taking into account the new and revised horizontal supports set out in the ERP, I have asked Fáilte Ireland to examine what supports will be needed for the tourism sector in the coming months. I will discuss these proposed supports with colleagues across Government to ensure that the tourism sector is supported in their recovery as we reopen our society and our economy.