Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their important contributions to this debate. We are on track to remove most remaining restrictions from 22 October and this will provide a further boost to the tourism sector. In the meantime, our primary focus is to continue with our careful and gradual approach to easing remaining restrictions and facilitating full reopening from 22 October, while supporting the maximum reach of the vaccine programme and allowing time to achieve the full benefits for all those currently being vaccinated. The Government will meet in advance of 22 October to decide on the next phase of easing the restrictions and on what, if any, further guidance might be required beyond that date. Overall, I am confident that our trajectory in managing Covid is very positive. This along with the very successful vaccination programme mean that we should be viewed as a safe destination for holidaymakers. I will ask our agencies to convey this message.

With regard to supporting direct access to regional airports, I am providing funding to Tourism Ireland for the regional co-operative market access scheme. The purpose of this scheme is to promote direct air and sea access routes into Ireland's tourism experience brand regions, with matching funding from airlines, sea carriers, airports, ports and regional tourism stakeholders, including local authorities. In this regard, I am happy to report that, for 2021, I have increased the funding available for the scheme to €3 million from €2.5 million, the amount available last year before the pandemic struck. To help to stimulate inbound tourism directly into the regions, Tourism Ireland is currently engaged with a number of air carriers to support the promotion of routes into our regional airports. Aside from this, Tourism Ireland also engages in co-operative marketing with Dublin Airport to support inbound routes with strong tourism potential.

With specific regard to business tourism and related events, Fáilte Ireland recently briefed the industry on its plans to support the sector and rebuild a strong pipeline of events. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the industry and the tourism agencies, I understand that over 280 important events lined up before the pandemic, but subsequently postponed, have now been rescheduled. That is worth approximately €200 million to the economy. Another exciting event that has been rescheduled is the highly anticipated Aer Lingus College Football Classic, which was originally due to kick off in Dublin in 2020. It will now take place in 2022 with the first game between Northwestern University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In its first year, this event will attract in excess of 25,000 visitors, most from the US, and many are expected to stay for a week or longer. It is expected to generate some €63 million alone for the Irish economy next year. As ever, these types of events, including the Ryder Cup in 2027 in Adare, County Limerick, are also a fantastic opportunity to showcase our beautiful country and the many attractions it offers as a holiday destination.

As regards specific queries raised by Members, my officials have been taking note of them and we will follow up in writing with the Members.

Before handing over to my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, I will refer briefly to sustainable tourism. While our focus is correctly on the survival of the tourism sector, we must also begin planning for a sustainable recovery. The global health crisis has left the tourism sector in a state of shock, but it has also provided an opportunity to address sustainable tourism development in a more meaningful way during the recovery and rebuilding phase following the crisis. A sustainable tourism working group established under the Tourism Action Plan 2019-2021 published a report setting out the ambition for sustainable tourism in Ireland as well as a number of guiding principles for sustainable tourism development. This group has also drawn up an interim action plan, which will be published shortly, that aims to promote sustainable tourism practices up to 2023.

In line with the programme for Government commitments, as I have outlined, officials in my Department have initiated the development of a new national tourism policy which mainstreams sustainability. The development of this new policy will be informed by, and build upon, the work undertaken by the sustainable tourism working group and will be consistent with our sectoral climate change targets and commitments. It is clear that the traditional model of tourism is changing and the development of the new national tourism policy gives us an opportunity to set out what type of tourism sector we want up to 2030 and beyond. Tourism has proven itself to be resilient previously and I am confident that, with the support of the Government, it will recover from this crisis and thrive again in a manner that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.

Tuigim go maith na dúshláin ollmhóra atá roimh an turasóireacht agus leanfaidh mé ag obair le mo chomhghleacaithe sa Rialtas chun a chinntiú go dtabharfar gach tacaíocht is féidir don earnáil chun é a chur ar a cumas teacht slán ón bpaindéim agus tógáil ar bhealach níos seasmhaí, níos digití, níos glaise agus níos inbhuanaithe. I am fully aware of the massive challenges facing tourism and I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Government to ensure the sector is given every possible support to enable it to emerge intact from the pandemic and to build back in a more resilient, digitalised, green and sustainable way.

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