Irish Hotels Federation

Lobbying Organisation Irish Hotels Federation

Date published 21 Sep, 2022

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Tourism

Period 1 May, 2022 to 31 Aug, 2022

Specific Details Measures and economic supports required to support Ireland's tourism and hospitality industry and mitigate challenges during recovery post-Covid-19 and in response to the energy crisis

Intended results Continued investment and support for tourism marketing both domestically and overseas. Seeking a commitment by Government to retain the 9% rate of tourism VAT until after 2025 Additional funding for hospitality recruitment and career awareness, and targeted resources for training and skills development. Seeking measures to support recruitment of employees outside of EEA area including a review of the ‘Critical Skills’ job categories; prioritisation of employment permit applications from hospitality businesses Improve cost competitiveness within the economy and avoid any cost-increasing measures affecting tourism businesses. Targeted funding for a national hotel energy retrofitting scheme to reduce carbon footprint throughout the sector in line with the Government’s climate action goals. Seeking an urgent acceleration of efforts to attract additional competition into the insurance market in additional to reform in relation to Duty of Care, PIAB and legal fees Seeking an accelerated capital allowances scheme targeting hotels with capacity to develop accommodation for employees on existing hotel land and sites. That the Government ensure that the registration scheme for short term letting of residential properties is supported by a robust and adequately funded enforcement system to be in place by the end of this year. That the SUSI grant scheme be updated so that student income is not assessed when dependent candidates apply for these grants. The introduction of a Tourism Satellite Account within the Central Statistics Office (CSO) to better inform future taxation and economic policy by providing a full economic analysis of tourism activity and its contribution across each county.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tim Fenn (Chief Executive of the Irish Hotels Federation)

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? Yes

What is the directive you gave to the grassroots campaigners? Hotels and guesthouses were asked to lobby Ministers, TDs and Senators to seek measures and economic supports to assist recovery of the tourism and hospitality industry. Members were asked to write to, email, tweet and phone TDs and Senators outlining the challenges facing their business and detailing the measures required.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Email All Oireachtas Members Emails highlighting the measures required to support the ongoing recovery of Irish tourism in advance of Budget 2023

Letter All Oireachtas Members Letters highlighting the measures required to support the ongoing recovery of Irish tourism in advance of Budget 2023

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (100+)

Letters in advance of Budget 2023 highlighting the measures and economic supports required to support the long-term recovery of Irish tourism including in response to the energy and cost of living crisis

Email (100+)

Emails in advance of Budget 2023 highlighting the measures and economic supports required to support the long-term recovery of Irish tourism including in response to the energy and cost of living crisis

Social Media (6-10)

Targeted social media activity on twitter highlighting measures and supports required to assist tourism businesses

Meeting (2-5)

Highlighting the measures and economic supports required to support the recovery of Irish tourism post Covid-19

Virtual Meeting (1)

Virtual meetings seeking reform of insurance market in relation to Duty of Care, PIAB, legal fees and insurance competition

Submission (1)

Submission to the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media in relation to the availability and cost of hotel accommodation

Letter (1)

Letter to Dept of Finance seeking for VAT Issues relating to Emergency Accommodation to be addressed

Submission (1)

Submission in relation to the Living Wage seeking that the rate must be appropriate in the context of the domestic economy and international competitiveness.

Meeting (1)

Meeting of the SME and State Bodies Group - seeking targeted measures for the best possible conditions for recovery of tourism activity to pre-Covid levels and full restoration of the 270,000 livelihoods previously supported by our industry throughout the country

Submission (1)

Submission as consultation on the Future Direction of Enterprise Policy. Seeking long-term strategies and policies focused on encouraging enterprise and entrepreneurship across the tourism sector

Submission (1)

Submission on Collective Bargaining highlighting that JLCs are an outdated mechanism for determining minimum pay and terms and conditions in a modern economy.

Virtual Meeting (2-5)

Highlighting the shortage of staff accommodation and costs of doing business - seeking Govt measures to address these challenges. Seeking additional funding for hospitality recruitment and career awareness, and targeted resources for training and skills development.

Virtual Meeting (2-5)

Meeting with Dept Tourism in relation to the availability of hotel accommodation

Email (2-5)

Emails to Dept of Tourism in relation to the availability of hotel accommodation

Virtual Meeting (2-5)

Virtual meeting of the Hospitality & Tourism Forum - seeking targeted measures for the best possible conditions for recovery of tourism activity to pre-Covid levels and full restoration of the 270,000 livelihoods previously supported by our industry throughout the country

Meeting (1)

Meeting at the National Economic Dialogue - seeking targeted measures for the best possible conditions for recovery of tourism activity to pre-Covid levels and full restoration of the 270,000 livelihoods previously supported by our industry throughout the country

Letter (1)

Letter seeking reform of insurance market in relation to Duty of Care, PIAB and insurance competition

Email (1)

Seeking reform of the Sale of Alcohol policy to stream-line the licencing renewals process and for licensing hours revised to allow for a licensed premises to apply for a license based on trading hours suitable to that business.

Meeting (1)

Meeting with the Dept of Finance outlining measures sought as part of Budget 2023 including retention of 9% tourism VAT rate, supports for recruitment and measures to tackle cost of doing business as well as supports for a hotel retrofit scheme.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Paschal Donohoe Minister (Department of Finance)

Graham Doyle Secretary General (Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport)

Eamon Ryan Minister (Department of Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport)

Michael McGrath Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)

Norma Foley Minister (Department of Education)

Micheál Martin An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Leo Varadkar Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Helen McEntee Minister (Department of Justice)

Heather Humphreys Minister (Department of Social Protection)

Darragh O'Brien Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Catherine Martin Minister (Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media)

Stephen Donnelly Minister (Department of Health)

Thomas Byrne Minister of State (Department of the Taoiseach)

Patrick O'Donovan Minister of State (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)

Ossian Smyth Minister of State (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)

Jack Chambers Minister of State (Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media)

Anne Rabbitte Minister of State (Department of Health)

Colm Brophy Minister of State for the Diaspora and Overseas Development Aid (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Charlie McConalogue Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Joe O'Brien Minister of State (Department of Rural and Community Development)

Peter Burke Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Malcolm Noonan Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Robert Troy Minister of State (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Frank Feighan Minister of State (Department of Health)

Niall Collins Minister of State (Department of Education and Skills)

Pippa Hackett Super Junior Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Hildegarde Naughton Super Junior Minister (Department of Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport)

Simon Coveney Minister (Department of Foreign Affairs)

James Browne Minister of State (Department of Justice and Equality)

Damien English Minister of State (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

John Shaw Assistant Secretary (Department of the Taoiseach)

John Kelly Acting Assistant Secretary (Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media)

Simon Harris Minister (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)

Katherine Licken Secretary General (Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media)

Matthew Lynch Special Adviser (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Sean Fleming Minister of State (Department of Finance)

Aidan O'Connor Special Adviser (Department of Finance)

Paul Kehoe Minister of State (Department of Defence)

Philip O’Callaghan Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)

Cian Ó Lionáin Assistant Secretary (Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media)

Fiona O'Connor Special Adviser (Department of Finance)

Conor Falvey Assistant Secretary (Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media)

Declan Hughes Assistant Secretary (Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation)

Josepha Madigan Minister of State (Department of Education)

Mary Butler Minister of State (Department of Health)

Niamh Smyth TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Hogan Secretary General (Department of Finance)

John McCarthy Chief Economist (Department of Finance)

Neil Ward Acting Assistant Secretary (Department of Justice)

Micheál Carrigy Senator (Seanad)

John Lahart TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)