merrion street

At the invitation of the EU Presidency, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross, participated in a videoconference meeting of EU Tourism Ministers today (Monday 27th April) to discuss the implications of the COVID-19 outbreak. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange information and practices which are taking place or being considered by Member States in relation to the impact the pandemic has had on the tourism sector.

Minister Ross stressed to the meeting that we need to take proactive steps and co-ordinated policy actions in the immediate, medium and longer terms, both at national and EU-level, to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic and to support the recovery of the sector.

Minister Ross urged the EU to introduce new, tourism-specific funding supports for member states and pressed for maximum flexibility in State Aids rules to enable provision of timely and appropriate supports for the sector. He also informed the meeting of Ireland’s intention to establish a Tourism Recovery Taskforce which will come up with a Recovery Plan to help the Irish tourism sector come through this crisis.