Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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222. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the financial supports available for companies that provide coach-hire services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6844/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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In order to assist businesses, including coach hire companies, with their energy costs over the winter months, the Government introduced the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS).

TBESS is administered by the Revenue Commissioners, and is designed to support businesses with their energy costs over the winter months. It runs from 1 September 2022 to 28 February 2023.

I have received feedback on the scheme from the tourism sector both in written form and, on Wednesday 1 February, in person at the Hospitality and Tourism Forum which I co-chair with Minister Coveney.

While coach hire services extend beyond tourism, I am continuing to direct very significant resources to support the sustainable recovery of the tourism sector. I secured total funding of €230.8 million for tourism in Budget 2023.

This included additional funding of €15 million for overseas marketing of Ireland after last year’s once-off pump-priming investment of €35 million. As global competition heightens, sustaining extensive marketing campaigns will be vital to support the on-going recovery effort, building on the initial inbound tourism demand seen in 2022.

Domestically, €15 million will underpin a range of measures to support the sector including domestic marketing, transforming the digital capabilities of tourism businesses, boosting the industry’s recruitment and retention efforts, sustainable tourism initiatives and long-term investment in the US College Football Classic series.

Other allocations include €36.5 million in capital funding for tourism product development for the continued delivery of enhanced visitor experiences in line with the objectives of the National Development Plan 2021-2030.