Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I share with the Deputy the conviction that the unique qualities of our national heritage play a significant role in enhancing and projecting Ireland's image abroad, in supporting economic renewal through cultural and heritage tourism and in downstream opportunities, such as in the retail, catering and accommodation sectors.

According to Fáilte Ireland, some 3.5 million overseas visitors engaged in cultural activities while in Ireland in 2011. Over 2.5 million tourists visited historic houses or castles, while 2 million visited our archaeological monuments. Cultural institutions under the aegis of my Department attracted some 3.5 million visitors in 2012, with over 3.7 million visitors to heritage sites where the Office of Public Works provides a guide service. As well as gaining an insight and appreciation of Ireland's rich and diverse heritage and history, overseas visitors spent an estimated €2.8 billion during their stay.

I am committed to availing of every possible opportunity to project a positive global image for Ireland and am particularly conscious in the context of 2013 being the year of The Gathering initiative. My Department is actively engaged in a wide range of activities to this end, both in co-operation with bodies such as Fáilte Ireland and the Office of Public Works, and in promoting its initiatives such as our places to see and monuments to visit websites. These provide directions to lesser known heritage sites and details of what the visitor can expect to find on arrival. In addition, my Department provides core funding for the Heritage Council, which supports a range of initiatives, including national heritage week.

This year, in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland, my Department is also initiating a pilot programme, the Historic Towns Initiative, in Youghal, Westport and Listowel with the Heritage Council and the local authorities in each town. This initiative is intended to promote heritage-led regeneration with the objective of harnessing cultural heritage to create desirable places to live, do business and visit.

These are but a sample of the overall range of initiatives and programmes my Department is helping to promote, support or guide as a means of preserving the quality and diversity of our built heritage, increasing awareness of that heritage and positively promoting Ireland's image abroad as a good place to visit or do business.

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