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

I have already mentioned the importance of the tourism sector to the Irish economy and specifically to Drogheda. The Deputy mentioned the €10 million but in budget 2024, there is a total of €216 million in funding for the sector, which would allow for continued support for tourism development in Ireland for local and overseas visitors. Within that €216 million, we had the €10 million. That is available for a specific programme of supports targeted at tourism businesses experiencing particular challenges linked to the reduction of footfall in regions most impacted by tourism bed stock displacement.

I have met stakeholders such as the Irish Hotels Federation. I know that funding of €10 million is being developed and administered by Fáilte Ireland. We had Fáilte Ireland analysis as of November 2023, showing that 12% of all registered tourism accommodation stock nationally was under contract to the State. Fáilte Ireland is in the process of carrying out further analysis of the current data, which may inform future supports. Since 2022, approximately 300 accommodations which were in use by the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman's, Department since the start of the Ukraine crisis are no longer being used. The types of accommodation in that cohort are diverse but include approximately 40 hotels and 90 other properties categorised as bed and breakfast accommodation, guesthouses and hostels. The end of use in these contracts occurred for a number of reasons, including in some cases provider-led contract termination. I hope many of those will return to tourism.

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