Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 111 together.

This is the third time I have said the following but I will repeat it for the record. Tourism is now the policy responsibility of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke. Following the making of a Government order on Tuesday, statutory responsibility for the sector will transfer to the Minister, Deputy Burke, from 1 June. He has already had a number of engagements with key tourism stakeholders across a range of priority areas and the Government recognises the central importance of the tourism sector to Ireland's economy.

In addition, I note that the programme for Government provides that the Government will work with Fáilte Ireland to develop a balanced regional spread of tourism throughout the country, promoting and enhancing the Hidden Heartlands, Ireland's Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way and Dublin. County Meath is included in Fáilte Ireland’s Ancient East regional tourism development strategy 2023-27. Ireland's Ancient East is not only internationally renowned for its rich heritage but also for the variety of tracks and trails by which the region can be explored and discovered. Its diverse landscape provides the visitor with a rich tapestry from which to unlock the living culture unique to the place and underpinned by 5,000 years of heritage and tradition evidenced by its many historical sites.

Under the strategy, the ancient destination experience development plan, DEDP, which includes Meath, provides a destination-wide tourism development focus, harnessing existing plans and examining new projects to create a world-class destination with "ancient" as the core development theme. A key project in the ancient DEDP for delivery in 2025 is the development of a place-making plan for Kells that will link the various cultural assets within the town as a collective visitor proposition. Examples include the Spire of Lloyd experience, the Kells Type Trail, the round tower and crosses, St. Colmcille’s house and interpretative experiences.

The reimagined Boyne Valley drive has the objective of moving the existing Boyne Valley drive up the tourism value chain from a point-to-point journey between some of Ireland's most important and compelling heritage sites to a wider immersive visitor proposition that becomes a 5,000-year journey through time and is a key element of the ancient DEDP.

The key achievements in County Meath to date include the continued growth of the world-class Púca festival, which has contributed greatly to an emerging tourism destination. The Púca festival, developed by Fáilte Ireland in partnership with Meath County Council, plays a key role in attracting visitors who support revenue generation and job creation in local communities. The original Irish Hallowe'en was a time for feasting, gathering and storytelling as darkness turned to light and the shape-shifting spirits roamed the night. The Púca festival is a vibrant and contemporary three-day festival strongly rooted in tradition with a programme of events centred around spectacle, music and food. The festival received national funding of €1 million from Fáilte Ireland in 2024 to deliver a high-quality cultural festival, contemporary and distinct from Hallowe'en events in other cities, all set against the backdrop of an historically authentic setting. With over 49,000 attendees, the Púca festival has played a significant role in establishing this event as a must-see for tourists from local areas and abroad.

I am sure the Deputy is also aware of the work that has been carried out at the Knowth and Brú na Bóinne sites. Knowth is a culturally significant site and a partnership between Fáilte Ireland, the National Monuments Service and the Office of Public Works has enhanced the experience for visitors in Knowth, encouraging more people to visit the site and wider County Meath.

Fáilte Ireland continues to work with the Slane estate to develop its visitor proposition. The strategy centres around the development of a master plan aligning the estate's key assets, namely, the castle and distillery, and other places in the wider estate property linked to the emerging greenway. The current focus is on developing a three-year business plan with specific short-term actions aligned to the master plan. Fáilte Ireland will continue to work with the representatives of Slane Castle, which is a key driver of tourism in County Meath, to oversee the implementation of the business plan.

Meath is also included in the Keep Discovering campaign 2025, with both TV and print adverts to raise the profile of the county and attract both national and international visitors. The campaign reminds Irish and Northern Irish consumers that while they think they know Ireland, there is always something new to discover and encourages everyone to keep discovering.

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