Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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256. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the State supports being provided to assist travel agents to maintain operation due to restrictions and the effects of the pandemic on international travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40774/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Government has provided an unprecedented package of supports to businesses during the crisis a number of which have been available to the licensed travel agents and tour operators.  Firms in this sector have been able to avail of the Employee Wage Subsidy Scheme and the COVID Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) or the Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC) which fall under the remit of my colleagues the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment respectively.

In addition, in June 2020 my Department, in close consultation with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, introduced the Refund Credit Note (RCN) Scheme, which has assisted the liquidity positions of licensed travel agents and tour operators by ensuring that refund vouchers are protected by a State Guarrantee in the event of insolvency. The Scheme has undoubtedly assisted in preserving cash within the sector. To date Notes to the value of €17m have been issued. This is money that otherwise would have had to be paid by the sector at the height of the crisis to cover customer refunds at a time that their onward suppliers were not releasing refunds. However I undertand that situation has regularised in recent months.

On 1 June, Government launched its Economic Recovery Plan 2021 with the goal of achieving rapid job creation and economic growth after the pandemic. This plan sets out new measures for businesses and affected sectors as the economy reopens, and details for continuing existing emergency pandemic financial supports including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) and Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), giving certainty to employers and employees.

As the travel trade is part of the wider aviation and travel ecosystem, the needs of this particular sector will continue to be considered and I and my Department will maintain contact with the industry as we get more clarity on the trajectory of the recovery of the economy generally and of international travel which recommenced from 19 July.