Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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19. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will detail the uptake in County Mayo of the tourism business continuity scheme since its introduction. [22200/22]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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In Budget 2021, I secured €55 million for Fáilte Ireland's Tourism Business Continuity Scheme. Additionally in 2021, €10 million was paid by Fáilte Ireland under the Coach Tourism Business Continuity Scheme and €10 million under the Ireland-Based Inbound Agents Business Continuity Scheme. 

In Budget 2022, I secured a further €50 million in business continuity funding.  In overall terms, the Government allocated €67.6 million in additional funding for tourism, thereby bringing the overall tourism services budget for 2022 to €288 million.

The purpose of the funding provided through the Tourism Business Continuity Scheme has been to support strategic tourism businesses to survive through the pandemic and help drive the recovery of tourism.There were five phases of the Tourism Business Continuity Scheme in 2021 which ran from February to September 2022. The various phases of the Scheme provided a direct financial contribution to support business continuity plans and contribute towards fixed costs. 

The Tourism Business Continuity Schemes for 2022 are managed by Fáilte Ireland and will support businesses across the tourism sectors that need it most urgently, taking account of the Government funding that has already been received and the wider context of the horizontal supports provided by Government. The details of the Schemes are as follows:

- The Strategic Tourism Transport Business Continuity Scheme 2022 opened on 11 January 2022 and closed on 8 February 2022.

- The Strategic Ireland-Based Inbound Agents Tourism Business Continuity Scheme 2022 scheme opened on 12 January 2022 and closed on 9 February 2022.

- The Attractions and Activity Tourism Operators Business Continuity Scheme 2022 opened on 8 March 2022 and closed on 5 April 2022.

- The Tourism Accommodation Providers Business Continuity Scheme 2022 opened on 9 March 2022 and closed on 6 April 2022.

To date under the 2022 Tourism Business Continuity Schemes, 367 payments have been made amounting to €21.7 million with a further 429 applications being evaluated. All schemes are expected to be completed by the end of June 2022.

With regard to the detail of the uptake in County Mayo of the tourism business continuity schemes since their introduction,  I have asked Fáilte Ireland to provide this information to the Deputy.  Please contact my private office if you have not receive a response within ten working days.