Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While my Department provides the capital funding for investment in tourism projects such as the Wild Atlantic Way, it is not directly involved in developing or managing them. The development of the Wild Atlantic Way is a matter for the board and management of Fáilte Ireland. It is important to note that the Wild Atlantic Way was developed specifically for the western seaboard to address the decline in international visitors to the region. It builds on what is distinctive and appealing about the west coast - its rugged coastline and powerful ocean - to give it visibility in a congested international tourism market. The route was developed with the assistance of tourism consultants and regional steering groups. The steering groups comprised Fáilte Ireland, local authorities, local Leader and development companies and other key agencies such as Údarás na Gaeltachta and the Western Development Commission.

Fáilte Ireland is developing a similar unifying tourism proposition for counties in the east and the south. These areas share a strength in the richness of their historic environment, including Viking Waterford, Mediaeval Kilkenny and Brú na Boinne. This is a work in progress and it is intended to form a complementary tourism proposition to the Wild Atlantic Way. The brand proposition will group the cultural and heritage tourism assets and experiences in the east and the south via a network of routes, trails and journeys in a new tourism experience that can easily be understood by and will appeal to overseas visitors. It is intended that the research, brand development and consumer testing will be completed during 2014 and the new proposition will be launched in early 2015.

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