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

The Deputy will forgive me. When I saw her question on financial supports for sustainable policies, I thought she was referring to the greening of tourism, but she is also referring to possible mitigation measures for the wider tourism ecosystem. I addressed the issue of mitigation measures when replying to Deputy Munster, so I will discuss sustainable tourism practices.

The Department has been undertaking important work to ensure that tourism plays its part in achieving our climate targets. In 2023, I secured additional funding of €3 million for Fáilte Ireland to continue its work in supporting tourism businesses to embrace sustainability. Fáilte Ireland has undertaken a collaborative approach with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, Uisce Éireann and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to ensure that tourism businesses are fully briefed and aware of the initiatives and practical supports that are available from different sources.

I have met the SEAI and emphasised the willingness of the tourism sector to play its part in reducing emissions and achieving our climate action goals. It has a wide range of funding measures that are of relevance to the tourism sector. These include a support scheme for energy audits, financial supports towards the installation of heat pumps or biomass-biogas boilers and combined heat and power, CHP, units, and grant supports towards the purchase of new N1 category electric vehicles. We are also working on sustainability and tourism policy.

On the second part of the Deputy's question, as I said to Deputy Munster, I have continuously raised my concerns with my officials on a senior officials group, with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, and other colleagues regarding the potential need for mitigation supports due to these challenges in the wider tourism ecosystem. I have asked my officials and Fáilte Ireland to do further work on this as I have concerns in that regard.

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