Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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40. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the criteria by which his Department designated the heart of Ireland tourism area. [25415/18]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for allowing me to ask this question in the absence of Deputy Cowen. As an advocate for the designation of a heart of Ireland brand, I welcome that the Minister recently announced this brand. What criteria was applied by the Department in designating the heart of Ireland tourism geographical area and is the Minister satisfied that sufficient funding has been put in place to ensure there is an adequate marketing fund to establish and promote this brand on the international stage?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I thank Deputy Troy for taking this question which asks about the designation of the heart of Ireland tourism area, a mistake I am sure he would not have made if he had drafted the question.

As the Deputy may be aware, development of Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, including its geographical boundaries, was the responsibility of Fáilte Ireland rather than the Department and it was supported in this task by indepth research.  The brand was designed to service those areas not covered by the existing regional tourism experience brands, in particular, those areas of the midlands whose primary tourism asset is the Shannon and also the areas to the west of the Shannon not serviced by the Wild Atlantic Way. Although Ireland's Ancient East continues to include all areas east of the Shannon, I am advised by Fáilte Ireland that it included a small overlap area for the new midlands brand to the east of the Shannon to allow for the development of riverside walking and cycling trails and access to the Shannon navigation from the eastern banks.  Nonetheless, each brand experience has a very different focus, with separate and distinct unifying themes and experiences.

As regards the brand elements, including the name, logo and what this new tourism experience brand stands for, Fáilte Ireland developed these following extensive research with consumers in Ireland, the USA, the UK, Germany and France and with reference to key Irish and international benchmark offerings. As part of this process, Fáilte Ireland interviewed over 10,000 consumers through which it received valuable insights that gave it strong confidence that the brand focus and related offering - Active in Nature - has the potential to be both appealing and motivating to visitors.

Given its responsibility for its development, I have asked Fáilte Ireland to reply directly to the Deputy in regard to the criteria by which it designated the Ireland's Hidden Heartlands region. The Deputy should please contact my private office if he has not received a reply within ten working days. The detail of this is a matter for specialists in Fáilte Ireland but I can supply it if they do not provide the information to the Deputy.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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It is quite bizarre for the Minister to tell me he will get Fáilte Ireland to inform me. This is not a written question and the whole purpose of submitting questions in advance of Question Time is for the Minister to come into the House fully armed with the information. I have no doubt about the research but when Ireland's Ancient East was established there was no brand for the midlands, as a consequence of which some of the midlands was included. Part of my home county of Westmeath, which is in the centre of Ireland and is home to the Hill of Uisneach, is excluded from Ireland's Hidden Heartlands. It is bizarre stuff. County Laois, also in the centre of Ireland, is also excluded from Ireland's Hidden Heartlands and it is bizarre that the Minister cannot explain why that is the case. Between 2007 and 2014, County Laois received the least amount of funding from Fáilte Ireland.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I am not reluctant to answer any of the Deputy's questions but I thought that, because of the extent of the detail in the survey of 10,000 people, it might be appropriate to get the information from Fáilte Ireland. I can arrange for the Deputy to have a full briefing from them because I know it is close to his heart and to his neighbourhood. I am often asked to micromanage by answering questions which are more appropriate to others and I just thought the Deputy might get a better reply from Fáilte Ireland. I am very happy, however, to get it from them and give it to the Deputy, if that is what he wants.

There was apparently a problem with Laois, but I do not think it is a real problem. County Laois completed a long-term tourism strategy recently, with input from Fáilte Ireland, and it is very much aligned with Ireland's Ancient East. My understanding is that the local chamber is happy with that, as is the chairperson of Laois Tourism. I understand that when this was announced and Laois was left in Ireland's Ancient East, while the response from one or two people was somewhat knee-jerk, the response from people at the coalface was favourable and they wanted to stay where they were.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I will take up the Minister's offer. Perhaps in future the Minister can provide the information in advance of the questions so that we will be better informed to ask him questions on the floor of the Dáil. On the question of marketing, we now have four distinct brands, namely, the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, Ireland's Ancient East and brand Dublin. How does the marketing budget for Ireland's Hidden Heartlands compare with the three other brands? Can the Minister give the exact amount of funding to be allocated to Ireland's Hidden Heartlands in the coming year and say how it compares with the other brands? Since 2012, total marketing funding has decreased by €25 million, or 18%. In light of the new flights announced this week between Dublin and Beijing, there are huge opportunities to increase our presence on the international stage but if we do not have sufficient resources behind our marketing brands they will not develop or prosper. Can the Minister confirm that all our brands will be sufficiently funded?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The Deputy is right about the overseas flights, and about bringing more people in and increasing tourism. The anecdotal evidence I have received in the past couple of days is that the response to the new brand, and the marketing of the new region, is way above and beyond expectations and that is extremely encouraging. An initial €2 million has been allocated for 2018 to start the development stage of the new brand, with further funding and capital grants to follow. The first round of investment will help to develop visitor experiences and the development of infrastructure, tourism products, services and marketing. Next year and beyond, Ireland's Hidden Heartlands will benefit from investment planned under the national development plan, which allocates €300 million in Exchequer funding to tourism under the national strategic outcome No. 3, while €133 million is due to be allocated to Fáilte Ireland between 2018 and 2022 for investment capital. I do not think the Deputy will find it wanting in any way as regards funding.