Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)

I entirely agree with the Deputy that the overlap between arts, culture, sport and tourism is enormous. I refer to the impact of Listowel Writers' Week in County Kerry, for example. All festivals, especially the larger ones, have an impact by bringing people to particular areas. The same is true for sporting events. Money is generated in Limerick by Munster Rugby, as it is in Dublin by Leinster Rugby. There is obvious synergy there and we are acutely aware of that and want it to grow. This year, for instance, we have a committed set of international sporting engagements, including an NFL American football game.

Government is also supporting the Ryder Cup in Adare in 2027 and there is a number of others that will generate not only people coming in for the weekend of the event but also legacy. Such an event generates a huge spin-off for the place it is on, like Adare in County Limerick, for its hinterland and for the entire country. I said to Deputy McCormack that local authorities are the best placed people to know a locality and get people into an area.

The advantage County Meath has that counties in the west and south of Ireland do not have is it has an airport on its doorstep through which millions of people transit per year. The marketing plans for that will have to be geared around, in many cases, short-term stays and - the Deputy is right - getting people out of Dublin. Other counties have done it quite successfully. Look at Wicklow and the impact Glendalough has. It is hugely successful. Kildare has the Japanese Gardens in Newbridge. There is a lot of potential for counties around Dublin to use Dublin as a staging post. That is probably the old Pale. Newbridge, Kildare Village, the Japanese Gardens and Glendalough have done it very successfully.

The heritage that is in County Meath is nowhere else in the world. There are places in the county older than the pyramids, which are all, thankfully, in the charge of the State under the Office of Public Works. We made significant investments there in my time. There is also the advent of a national park. The potential is enormous; it is just about bringing it together. In fairness to Meath County Council, it is doing very positive work in that space.

See this speech in context