Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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56. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps she will take to achieve the increased level of tourism in rural counties as outlined in the action plan for rural development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4067/17]

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I congratulate the Minister on the action plan for rural development, which is a much sought after plan. I welcome the plan but I would welcome more information from the Minister on the proposals to increase the level of tourism in rural counties. I represent the constituency in Sligo-Leitrim, where there is quite an amount of activity in terms of tourism. I believe this plan has great potential for rural areas. What are the Minister's plans in terms of increasing tourism levels in rural counties and what funding will be made available in this regard?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Maximising our rural tourism and recreation potential is one of the key pillars of the Government's action plan for rural development. The plan will act as an overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of initiatives across Government that will benefit rural Ireland. Tourism is of key importance to the economic wellbeing of rural Ireland and the sector supports many thousands of jobs in rural areas.

The action plan for rural development recognises the further growth potential that tourism presents for rural communities. It sets out 50 distinct actions designed to maximise our rural tourism and recreation potential. These combined actions aim to increase overseas tourists to rural Ireland by 12% by 2019.

Through the action plan for rural development, we will support job creation through targeted initiatives such as the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland's Ancient East and by developing the potential of Ireland's Lakelands. We will promote and increase activity tourism in rural areas through the development of greenways, blueways and other niche tourism products. My Department will fund the rural recreation scheme and the national walks scheme and will develop a public outdoor recreation amenities plan to transform the provision of outdoor recreation facilities on publicly-owned land and waterways. We will also develop and promote our natural and built heritage through capital investment in our national parks and nature reserves, through investment in the Gaeltacht areas and by progressing the designation of additional sites in UNESCO's World Heritage list.

My Department will work closely with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, the Heritage Council and other key stakeholders around the country, such as Waterways Ireland, Údarás na Gaeltachta and local authorities, to deliver these actions.

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Following on from the Minister's reply and her remarks in regard to greenways, I would welcome some clarification from her in regard to the Sligo Greenway Co-operative and the shovel-ready greenway in my constituency which runs from Collooney to Bellaghy, which is a huge area. There is enormous community spirit within Sligo Greenway Co-operative, to which many people have committed themselves over the last number of years. I ask that the Minister consider this project a priority in the context of the Wild Atlantic Way.

The Minister also referred in her reply to tourism officers in the context of the promotion of tourism in the country. Unfortunately, unlike the local authority in the constituency of the Minister of State, Deputy Ring and in many other constituencies, there is no designated tourism officer in Sligo County Council. Is it intended that this will be rectified under the plan? We have many great natural resources in Sligo in terms of it being Yeats country.

We are also talking about the Wild Atlantic Way and what has happened for Sligo and the surrounding areas. With regard to Sligo Greenway Co-op, what can be done to enhance and promote the greenway project and get it started?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We are out of time. Perhaps the Minister could correspond with the Deputy if she does not have a very brief response.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I have a brief one. The matter of the tourism official is a matter for the local authority. Perhaps the Deputy will liaise with the local authority in that regard.

Much work is being done on tourism in counties Sligo and Leitrim. Some €100,000 was made available to the authorities in Carrick-on-Shannon to develop a Taste Leitrim food and enterprise zone. I have seen how successful Taste of Cavan has been. These types of initiatives are very good for boosting the local economy. Some €100,000 was provided to Tubbercurry enterprise centre. The Deputy and others attended the event. Moreover, €200,000 was provided for a mountain biking project in the Ox Mountains. This was a joint project involving Mayo County Council. In total, counties Sligo and Leitrim received almost €4 million in funding from my Department last year to support a range of projects under REDZ, the town and village scheme, CLÁR and the rural recreation scheme. The Deputy mentioned one project in particular but all these initiatives come from the local authorities so it is a matter of working with them to make progress on them.