Lyng committed to leading group to meet Minister

CHAIRING her penultimate meeting as President of Enniscorthy and District Chamber of Commerce, Maree Lyng reiterated her commitment to leading a Chamber delegation to meet the new Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, Patrick Donovan, to press for a start date for the long overdue Slaney Flood Relief Programme. This is so important for the future development of Enniscorthy, President Lyng told the July meeting of the Chamber Board, which was hosted in the Presentation Centre in order to comply with social distancing.

Ms Lyng led a previous delegation to meet with then Minister of State, Kevin (Boxer) Moran and received a commitment that funding for the project was ring fenced and would not be used for any other purpose. That commitment was honoured in last October’s budget, when funding was set aside for a 2020 start to the Flood Relief Programme. Now, however, because of new EC regulations, the first phase of the massive €50 million-plus development will not commence until next year at the earliest

President Lyng wants a commitment from Minister Donovan that the required capital will remain in place for the Relief Programme to start once final approval is forthcoming. Deputies James Browne and Paul Kehoe have been tasked with arranging the meeting with Minister Donovan which, hopefully, will take place in Government Buildings before the Dail’s Summer recess.

Plans are proceeding for this year’s Santa’s Enchanted Castle, which in 2019 attracted huge numbers of visitors to Enniscorthy Castle. The importance of the event, in terms of revenue generated, was emphasised at last week’s Board meeting by both Colm Neville of the Riverside Park Hotel and Anton Treacy of Treacy’s Hotel. Each spoke of bed nights booked in their respective hostelries and of how the event attracted visitors to Enniscorthy from practically all over Ireland. Enniscorthy and District Chamber of Commerce members encouraged the local Municipal District Council to proceed with plans to host Santa’s Enchanted Castle again this year.

Enniscorthy based Deputies James Browne and Johnny Mythen (Paul Kehoe was unavoidably absent) met with representatives of the Chamber’s Tourism Committee on Monday last for a briefing on the effects the recent lockdown and the challenges posed by social distancing regulations for the hospitality industry. James Ryan of The Bailey Bar and Restaurant, the new Chairman of the committee, also attended the briefing in the Riverside Park Hotel. Mr Ryan succeeds Jean O’Connell as Chairman and President Lyng acknowledged Ms O’Connell’s contribution over the past number of years.

The tourism industry and hospitality trade in Co Wexford accounts for over 9,300 jobs, the briefing heard, and last year generated revenues of €227m for the local economy. As many as 6,900 of those jobs are presently at risk across the county with revenues predicted to drop by a staggering €170m in 2020. These facts were outlined by the hospitality chiefs, who emphasised the need for urgent Government support to save jobs in the sector. Hotels and guesthouses across the county are reporting average occupancy levels of 19% for July and 25% for August, according to one committee member, which he said ‘is nothing short of disastrous given these are the two peak months’. The tourism committee representatives told of 5 specific proposals which needed to be implemented by the Government to mitigate the damage already caused and they urged both TDs to support the measures in the Dail.

Meanwhile, interest in the Municipal Authority’s Paint Grant for shop fronts and Hanging Basket Grants is quite considerable and shop owners in Bunclody, Ferns and Enniscorthy are urged to apply while funds last. A €200 grant is available for shopfront painting and a €50 grant for the erection of hanging baskets.