Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is timely that this Topical Issue matter on the development of tourism facilities at Malin Head is selected for discussion today because on Monday night there was a gathering of tourism and business leaders from the Inishowen area in Ballyliffin to discuss how we can bring forward the tourism product in Inishowen and in particular on Malin Head. The consensus is that Malin Head as a tourist destination and as a location which is known across the country and can be easily marketed and as a location which has so much to offer in terms of its scenic attributes is something we need to focus on and develop. By pushing that, other tourism industries and businesses which feed off the tourist industry can benefit from increased visitor numbers.

Significant work has gone into this in recent years. I have raised it here on several occasions and the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ring and I have discussed it before. Progress on the development of facilities there has slowed down over the past year and it needs to be kick-started once more. There was a programme for a three-phase development laid out, phase 1 of which has been completed by putting in pathways on the headland and lay-bys on the roads running up to it to improve access. Phase 2 was to have been the development of toilet and car parking facilities and phase three was the development of a wider project. Very significant work has gone into it. The Malin Head Community Association has worked very hard, as has the local community. Inishowen Tourism has pushed the matter. I commend my colleague, Councillor Martin McDermott, who has been very active in pushing this as an issue and Donegal County Council which has worked closely with Bord Fáilte on achieving what has been achieved now and putting forward plans. Planning permission is in place for new car parking facilities and for toilets.

There was an agreement between Donegal County Council and Fáilte Ireland that, on the granting of planning permission and completion of that process, Fáilte Ireland would then follow on by giving consideration to funding that aspect with a view to continuing the work towards the wider development of a final project to have a tourist attraction at Malin Head. I ask the Minister of State to provide Members with an update on phase 2 of that development and, in particular, on the intention of Fáilte Ireland to fund the car parking and toilet facilities. Fáilte Ireland has done tremendous work on the Wild Atlantic Way that offers great potential. There has been really good development and investment at the Slieve League cliffs, Glencolmcille, as well as good investment in Fanad Head lighthouse which has been improved significantly and where a tourist facility has been developed. However, it is also necessary to have such investment at Malin Head where it is needed greatly. The rest of the peninsula and the tourism sector are waiting on it in order that everyone can try to promote it as a product to attract additional visitors to the area. I hope the Minister of State will be able to provide Members with an update on where matters stand and what progress is being made.

See this speech in context