Fáilte Ireland chief executive Paul Kelly last month called for a change in how State is dealing with Ukraine crisis. Photograph: Claire KeoghThe State “will not turn away” refugees or asylum seekers despite the “short-term effect” on some areas of the tourism industry, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said on Wednesday.
The use of tourist accommodation for the housing of displaced Ukrainian citizens and asylum seekers could cost non-accommodation tourism providers more than €1.1 billion in lost revenue this year, an Oireachtas committee will hear later on Wednesday. According to an opening statement due to be delivered by Fáilte Ireland to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media, almost a third of all registered tourism stock outside Dublin is now contracted to the State.With Amazon announcing a further 9,000 jobs job cuts this week, and Workhuman’s plans to reduce its global workforce by 10%, it could be many weeks or even months before we learn how many Irish roles are affected.
Speaking at the Inchicore Railway Works in Dublin on Wednesday morning, Mr Ryan claimed the sector would ultimately benefit from its approach to taking in refugees.