Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Climate change is one of the biggest issues facing us today. All areas must work for greater sustainability and no individual industry or sector must be asked to bear the entire burden. Ireland's reputation as a green island nation must be protected. From fishing to agriculture to nature-based tourism, our environment is a crucial factor in our global reputation and success. The tourism industry must be supported in meeting sustainability standards and in protecting our environment. We need to further develop sustainable modes of tourism, such as greenways.

We must also seek to improve the overall sustainability of tourism by increasing the attractiveness and usage of public transport among tourists. Rail tourism is an area of growth around the world, and more should be done to make this type of tourism viable and attractive to tourists to Ireland.

Specific funding should be provided for the development of sustainable tourism attractions. In my county of Tipperary, I am working with others on a number of sustainable tourism projects which are sensitive to our environment but that accept the reality of the economic needs of small towns and villages. It is possible to create tourism attractions and attract people into rural communities without having a negative impact on the environment.

The projects we are working on can bring tourists in, resulting in financial benefits that can be used to sustain an environment which might struggle without this attention. However, if we are to make a success of individual projects, the local economy and more importantly the local people must benefit. If done properly I believe it can bring economic recovery to areas that struggle to attract employment through the other State supports and bodies.

Further supports should be also provided to community groups that work to protect their own local areas, such as tidy towns committees. Ireland’s villages are some of our greatest tourism attractions and it is vital that they are maintained to the highest possible standards.

Cycling is a fantastic means to see the country and a sustainable means of transport. Greenways promote a very sustainable form of tourism where tourists are attracted to stay in areas that are slightly off the beaten track. Spending time outdoors promotes our appreciation of nature and the environment, thus increasing overall support for pro-environmental policies.

The Government should provide support to businesses and groups seeking to develop amenities such as greenways so we encourage these types of leisure and tourism activities. Some €53 million has been allocated for the development of greenways between 2018 and 2021, but the early indications are that this fund may be oversubscribed and that further increases may be warranted. Furthermore, greater consideration must be given to creating greater connections between greenways and other cycling amenities, such as cycleways within towns and cities.

Tourism clearly involves travel, and it is vital that tourists be helped to use sustainable transport options wherever possible, but the public transport system is chronically overloaded in Ireland. Ireland's target was to reduce emissions from the transport sector by 20% by 2020 and 30% by 2030, relative to 2005 levels. Emissions from the sector will instead rise by 18% between 2017 and 2020, and by 20% between 2017 and 2030. This will have a huge environmental cost in terms of spurring on catastrophic climate change and harming air quality, and will also cost Ireland owing to fines from the European Union.

Rail is a very popular option for many tourists, as demonstrated by the success of the Interrailing programme in Europe. In my constituency, our rail infrastructure is excellent but as of yet we have not fully exploited it. My understanding is that if we were to provide that level of rail infrastructure through Tipperary today, it could cost in the region of €1 billion. Therefore, we have got to connect the dots and help local communities fully exploit the opportunities that are available. All we need is some lateral thinking with some investment of a medium level to make these projects work.

Irish Rail facilitated 45.51 million passenger journeys last year above its 2007 peak. There has been 15% growth since 2015 alone, and this is a figure that will continue to rise. No new rail carriages have been purchased since 2016, and no new ones will be delivered before 2023 at the very earliest. The NTA does not even know how many new carriages it will be purchasing. The national development plan committed to purchasing 300 new rail carriages, but there is absolutely no indication of when they will be ordered. Funding should be provided to Irish Rail for the purposes of advertising Ireland's railways to international and domestic visitors as a sustainable and attractive means of travelling in Ireland. Greater efforts should be made to improve timetabling and journey times so that we increase the attractiveness to tourists.

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