Tourism needs Covid-style support – Deputy Harkin

Sligo Leitrim TD Marian Harkin has called on the government to provide Covid-type support schemes for businesses and communities dependent on tourism where the local tourism accommodation has been substantially reduced because it is being used to provide accommodation for refugees.

Addressing Junior Tourism Minister Thomas Byrne in the Dáil, Ms Harkin called for the appointment of a dedicated tourism officer in areas most affected by this to address the loss of revenue among tourism and tourism-dependent businesses. On the broader refugee issue, she called for a dedicated community liaison officer and for an increase in public transport at peak times and school times to better serve the communities.

Arising from a recent meeting with community leaders and local businesses in Rosse’s Point, Co Sligo, which was attended by TD’s Marc MacSharry and Frank Feighan, Ms Harkin relayed to the Minister what she had heard about the impact of the loss of accommodation. Describing the meeting the Deputy said, “I want to make it crystal clear that the tone and content was constructive and focused on seeking solutions. There was no blame, no anti refugee sentiment, in fact the opposite is true. But there was a recognition of the impact of the huge increase in the population of Rosse’s Point and the consequent impact on all public services as well as the loss of huge numbers of beds for the upcoming tourism season.”

The Deputy pointed out that communities should not be left to cope with this on their own. “That impact must be managed for the communities, the businesses and the refugees in places like Rosse’s Point and other similar areas in the constituency,” she said.  Ms Harkin pointed out that all businesses are affected by the loss of tourism accommodation. “We're speaking of restaurants and bars and businesses involving maritime activities or any other leisure activities. Approximately 25% of the tourism accommodation outside Dublin is now devoted to housing refugees and in some areas like in Rosse’s Point it's much higher,” the Deputy said.

“Minister, is there any possibility of some kind of support scheme specifically for those businesses where it can be shown that the impact is substantial?” she asked, “Support schemes for loss of income are needed, along with greater marketing for areas that are worst affected. That's where a dedicated tourism officer could really help to support business.

In response Minister Byrne said that officials in the Department of Tourism are engaging with a range of departments, with input from Fáilte Ireland, to consider how best to mitigate the potential impacts of long-term use of tourism accommodation. “An analysis is being done on those towns or areas most impacted by the unavailability of tourism accommodation,” he said.

The Deputy suggested to the Minister that the support for refugees has moved on to a new stage, “The first was helping to house refugees, I am fully supportive of that, as are the people who attended that meeting. The next stage is to support both communities and refugees. We are now at that stage, and I want to hear what plans the government has in place. Communities need to know the government is on their side,” Ms Harkin said.