Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have a few questions and observations that perhaps the witnesses could comment on. I am from the Cavan-Monaghan constituency, which I believe is part of the Hidden Heartlands and part of Ireland's Ancient East. The Wild Atlantic Way has been a huge success, and illustrates what marketing and packaging a destination can do for an entire region. The Wild Atlantic Way campaign opened up that whole coastal area, which, prior to that, had not been viewed in the same light. Are there any statistics available on the level of tourism to the Wild Atlantic Way, the Hidden Heartlands and the Ancient East? I assume that the Wild Atlantic Way is the most popular of the three packages or concepts, but I would like the witnesses to comment on the issue. Unlike places such as Killarney, west Cork and other beautiful tourist hotspots, Cavan-Monaghan is not somewhere that people automatically think about going for a week or a fortnight on holiday, but there are fantastic facilities and outdoor activities available there. There is the additional aspect of being in the Border region, and with Brexit coming down the tracks, the area will face a new set of challenges.

In respect of Fáilte Ireland's engagement with the local authority in the area, I know that Joanne Hayes does wonderful work in trying to promote the county of Cavan. I ask the witnesses to comment on their engagement with local authorities in the promotion of tourism in the area. Belturbet is a town along the River Erne, which I recall as being a hive of activity ten years ago, with boats coming in, and tourists on the streets, but it is a very different landscape today from a tourism perspective. I ask the witnesses to comment on the emphasis they place on areas and counties like Cavan-Monaghan.

I also want to get the views of the witnesses on festivals that have been completely shut down during the pandemic, which is something we have not discussed in detail today. In this context, the Galway Arts Festival and Galway being the European Capital of Culture 2020 spring to mind, but also festivals all around Ireland, in particular those in coastal areas. I am mindful of the loss of the revenue and tourism associated with the festivals and how we are going to come back from that. I hope that we will only be living with Covid-19 for a certain period, and that the introduction of a vaccine will bring all those festivals back to what they were. The cancellation of the international arts festivals and concerts has caused huge loss to the tourism industry. Perhaps the witnesses could comment on the issue.

Mr. Kelly also mentioned the Beara Breifne Way, with which I am unfamiliar. I ask him to brief us on that.