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Taoiseach promises Hospitality Stimulus

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has promised a major stimulus plan for the hospitality sector to help it recover once the pandemic restrictions are lifted. michealmartin0520

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”.

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.

Donnelly forecasts 'Significant but Slow' easing

“Significant but slow” easing of the Covid-19 lockdown is set to happen over the coming two months, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said. stephendonnelly

Mr Donnelly said that under consideration for the start of May was the full reopening of “construction, non-essential retail, personal services, museums, libraries, religious services and so forth”.

He said no decisions had been made along the lines of hospitality and outdoor pubs yet.

Mr Donnelly said Ireland was ahead of even the most optimistic scenarios for the decline in Covid-19 case numbers. This meant that the country was now in a “very positive position to talk about May, June, July and the easing of restrictions”.

Hotel Quarantine in NI

Passengers arriving into Northern Ireland from designated red-list countries will have to undergo hotel quarantine, it has been confirmed. belfastapt

The isolation arrangements have been put in place ahead of the return of international flights to local airports.

The online booking portal, run by the Department of Health, opened on Friday.

Any passengers who have been in, or transited through a “red list” country in the previous 10 days must book and pay for a managed isolation package before making any other travel arrangements, the Department said.

The price for one adult in one room for 10 days costs £1,750 (€2,015), with an additional day rate of £152 (€175).

The additional rate for one adult, or child over 12, is £650 (€749), while the additional rate for child aged five to 12 is £325 (€374).

Towns to gain from 'Hub Grants'

The old Ritz Cinema in Ballybofey-Stranolar, Co Donegal, three historic town centre buildings in Ballymahon, Co Longford and the Portumna Courthouse Arts Centre, Co Galwa

y are among 24 properties to be converted into

multi-purpose arts, performance, remote working, and social spaces.

An old school in the centre of Kinnegad, Co Westmeath, will receive €7.6m in funding to convert it into a community library, remote learning, education, and training space.

Youghal in Co Cork is among 24 towns chosen as part of a scheme to convert old cinemas, courthouses, hotels and convents into remote working hubs.

The new €74m rural regeneration project which will repurpose derelict buildings in town centres will be announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys.

Pedestrian zones, green areas, and outdoor events spaces will also be developed as part of a wider €1bn Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.

Tullamore Dew visitor plan

William Grant has announced its intention to apply for planning permission to Offaly County Council for a new visitor tourist centre for Tullamore Dew whiskey. The Scottish

distiller seeks to change the use of its existing three-storey ‘Three Sisters Administration Building’, based at its Tullamore Dew distillery, to a visitor centre with a shop.

“Last year, we announced plans to relocate our visitor experience to the Tullamore distillery. We believe our new state-of-the-art facilities will provide a new rich and immersive experience for our visitors,” said a spokeswoman for Tullamore Dew.