Hospitality sector to receive stimulus plan once restrictions lifted

​Taoiseach Micheál Martin has promised a major stimulus plan for the beleaguered hospitality sector to help it recover once the pandemic restrictions are lifted.

In an interview with the Business Post, Mr Martin said the Government’s National Economic Plan was being worked on by the cabinet sub-committee on economic recovery, with Paschal Donohoe, the Minister for Finance, and Michael McGrath, the Minister for Public Expenditure, being the “key linchpins”.

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​He confirmed that the plan would include a major stimulus package for the 180,000 people working in hotels, pubs and restaurants in the hospitality industry. “We’ve got to look at the medium term: how do we give substantive ballast or support to the hospitality and the entertainment sectors? They’ve suffered the most and they’re going to need priming, they’re going to need support beyond the emergence from the pandemic,” he said.

Mr Martin declined to say if there would be a new tourism voucher scheme to replace the ill-fated €270 million “stay and spend” scheme that comes to an end on April 30th with just €2 million claimed in refunds.

SEE THE IRISH TIMES ARTICLE