The Minister for Tourism, Dr McDaid, has said the Government will not forget Co Louth or the hardship people there are experiencing.
He said specific proposals which addressed the immediate problems experienced by tourism operators, especially in the Cooley peninsula, would be brought to the Cabinet.
These are expected to provide for the deferring of VAT and rates payments.
Close to 80 people from all sections of tourism met the Minister in Carlingford on the Cooley peninsula yesterday. The meeting was arranged by the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern.
No one sought compensation from the Government but they demanded a special assistance package to address both the immediate and long-term repercussions of the outbreak.
After hearing at first hand of the problems Dr McDaid said: "The Government will not forget this region, it will not forget this area."
His Department is to carry out "a very focused [marketing] campaign on this region when this is over". The provision of a tourism office devoted to the promotion of the Cooley peninsula was raised. Dr McDaid said it could be established.
On immediate problems such as cashflow and retaining workers, he gave assurances that proposals would be put to Cabinet and it was hoped to implement them as soon as possible.
Some people said Louth was being perceived as a no-go area. They also criticised conflicting opinions from Government Departments, which had resulted in many cancelled bookings.
The Departments of Agriculture and Education did not seem to know what the other was doing, said Mr Peter Finnegan, of the East Coast Adventure Centre in Carlingford.
Mr Ahern said that if the outbreak was confined to the county, "the case for special assistance for Louth at all levels is very strong."