New supports 'inadequate' says Fenn

Hoteliers have expressed their 'deep disappointment' at the measures announced to support the businesses, including hotels, in Laois, Kildare and Offaly that have been adversely impacted by the restrictions reintroduced last Friday.  Tim Fenn, Chief Executive of the Irish Hotels Federation described the supports as 'wholly inadequate', saying that they don’t go for enough to address the enormous financial impact that the closures have had on businesses and the reputational damage done to tourism in the three counties.

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Commenting on the measures, Mr Fenn said: “Public health continues to be the number one priority. However, this must go hand in hand with ensuring we have a viable economy after this crisis has passed. The lockdown of Laois, Kildare, and Offaly illustrates the immediate and catastrophic impact Government measures, introduced to protect society from Covid-19, have on Irish tourism and hospitality, which prior to the pandemic, employed 270,000 people.”
 
“The supports announced so far, including those contained in the July stimulus, are all welcome but they only offer short-term fixes. What is required is an active, intensive and prolonged public policy support framework to steer the tourism and hospitality industry through the crisis.  This is justified by the scale of the national and regional economic output and employment at stake,” he said.

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