Dáil debates
Thursday, 13 June 2019
Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate
Tourism Funding
3:40 pm
Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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I brought a delegation from the Leitrim Tourism Network to meet the Minister last year about this issue. There has been a decline in tourism in the north west and the Border region in particular. There was a 16% decline last year. Brexit is part of the problem because traditionally that area has relied on tourism from Britain and that is a cross-Border issue we have faced over the past couple of years. The Minister indicated at that time that additional funding would be put in place and it was allocated in the budget but the reports I hear from the industry on the ground is that it sees little sign of the additional marketing it requires to try to enhance its tourism product, promote the area and attract more tourism. I would like some information as to the level of funding in place and on how it has been spent and where. The local authorities tell me they have not seen it, as do the tourism and hotel networks on the ground. We would like to know where the additional funding is and the impact it will have in the future.
Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I am grateful to the Deputy for raising this issue. I applaud the fact that he is consistently on this worthy case and I hope I will be able to satisfy the Deputy that the north west and Border regions are taken seriously in the realm of tourism.
At the outset, I must point out that, with the exception of supports for greenways projects, tourism development funding is channelled through Fáilte Ireland which is responsible for regional tourism development. Under the tourism action plan 2019-2021, Fáilte Ireland will continue to develop and enhance tourism experiences as part of Project Ireland 2040. The aim is to develop things to see and do and increase regional spread, extend the season and promote sustainable growth. This applies across the country, including to the north west and Border counties of Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth. Fáilte Ireland does this work through the relevant tourism experience brands such as the Wild Atlantic Way. These brands guide both the capital investment as well as current spending on festivals, events and marketing and other supports for the region. The north west and Border counties vary in their offerings to tourists and traverse a number of experience brands. These include the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and Ireland’s Ancient East. Fáilte Ireland is investing in the tourism in these counties through the grants scheme for large tourism projects and, more recently, through platforms for growth, which I launched last month. The region has also received national and regional festival funding and business supports for tourism operators to respond to the challenges of Brexit as part of the package I secured in last year’s budget.
Last July, following publication of the strategy for the future development of national and regional greenways, the Minster of State, Deputy Griffin, and I announced a funding call for greenways. In response to the funding call under that strategy, I hope to be in a position to announce awarding of funding to the successful applicants in the coming weeks. However, a number of greenways in the north west and Border regions are already being developed. These are being co-funded by the INTERREG programme, the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure and my Department.
The north west greenways network project has been awarded €14.8 million, phase two of the Ulster Canal greenway project has received almost €5 million and the Carlingford Lough greenway project has been granted a total of €3.46 million.
Although these greenways are focusing on switching cross-Border journeys from car to bicycle, there will be tourism benefits from them all.
Fáilte Ireland is partnering with the Department of Rural and Community Development on the outdoor recreation infrastructure fund 2018, which has provided funding of almost €11 million for 78 projects across 24 counties, including counties Leitrim, Sligo, Donegal, Cavan and Mayo. In addition, Fáilte Ireland is working closely with that Department on the rural regeneration and development fund to deliver quality visitor experiences nationwide to ensure local communities can benefit economically and socially from tourism growth .
I am keenly aware how important British visitors are to the Border region and how Brexit could potentially impact on this. The Deputy will be interested to hear that last week the Minister of State, Deputy Griffin, launched a new strategy to grow tourism from Britain to Ireland which was developed by the three tourism agencies on the island of Ireland. The strategy aims to grow revenue from British holidaymakers by over 25% to €705 million by 2022 and will be of particular benefit to north-western and Border counties. Tourism Ireland continues to promote the north west as part of its promotional programme in key markets overseas, including the Wild Atlantic Way and Causeway Coastal Route, and promotes direct access to the north west through co-operative marketing campaigns. These investments are crucial, not least because growing tourism across the country and the seasons is a key part of the Government’s tourism policy and I see great potential in this region to contribute to that ambition.
3:50 pm
Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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There have been some developments in recent times, particularly in the area of greenways, which are very welcome. We are awaiting funding for two greenways, one of which is the Sligo to Enniskillen greenway. I know the Minister visited the Ballroom of Romance in Glenfarne earlier this year and walked some of the greenway, or may have danced with somebody there, although we will not go into that. That greenway requires additional funding and would be of significant benefit because it is a cross-Border project. The proposal for a greenway which runs along the old railway line adjacent to what was the Ballinamore-Ballyconnell Canal similarly requires funding.
One of the general issues which we continually encounter is that in addition to development in terms of infrastructure and product, the tourism product in the north west requires far more sustained and targeted promotion because there has been a fall off in visitor numbers. A representative of the Leitrim Tourism Network told me today that he or she had spoken to people in Donegal and Strabane, where he or she visited a hotel. All of the people with whom the representative consulted stated that there has been a fall-off in bookings this year and there are fewer people visiting the region. The same situation pertains throughout the Border area and in the north west in particular. The only way to arrest that decline is to have a targeted programme of investment in promotions and getting tourism providers and other people in the area out to meet the visitors who will stay and contribute to the product in the area. Those involved in tourism in the area told me that continental tourists are a key area for them. Although they welcome the initiative referred to by the Minister to increase the number of British holidaymakers by more than 25%, many told me that, particularly in the context of Brexit, that will be a very difficult hill to climb and that greater emphasis needs to be placed on continental tourists, particularly those from France and Germany, who traditionally visited the region. There is great potential to bring them back again. They know the area and have been there before. If we can, we should try to work more on promotion, particularly of the Wild Atlantic Way and the Hidden Heartlands, as well as more generally in the north west where we have a tremendous product and need to get more tourists from continental Europe to visit.
Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The Deputy will be aware that announcements on the greenways will be made very shortly, including announcements on what is happening in his area. That will probably take place within the next two weeks. I do not want to promise that but-----
Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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I am writing it down.
Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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-----the Deputy can anticipate that there will very shortly be information on the greenways. A total of 22 applications were received from 15 local authorities on the greenway strategy, including applications from the north west and Border counties. There were three applications from County Donegal, one from County Mayo, one for the Sligo greenway, one from Leitrim County Council for the Sligo, Leitrim and northern counties railway greenway and one from Louth County Council for a Dundalk-Blackrock greenway. There was also an application from Meath County Council for a greenway that terminates in Kingscourt, County Cavan, of which the Deputy may be aware.
The Government takes the points made by the Deputy about the north west very seriously. I understand that he pointed out that some of the numbers are down. We are very conscious of that and are particularly conscious of the difficulties presented to his area by Brexit. It should be pointed out that in addition to making commitments to the greenways, we have invested a significant amount of capital in the north west and Border counties, including large grant schemes and further opportunities for Fáilte Ireland capital support. I do not know whether the Deputy needs reminding of examples of Fáilte Ireland capital investment in the north west and Border counties. In County Donegal, the Fanad Head lighthouse experience received €469,000 and €396,000 was allocated to visitor facilities at Malin Head. In Country Sligo, the Strandhill surfing centre of excellence received more than €1 million, the Carrowmore Neolithic sites was allocated €262,000 and a grant of €201,000 was made in respect of the Sligo pontoon. In County Leitrim, €212,250 was allocated for Lough Rynn and €162,750 was granted in respect of Glencar lake and waterfall. Although the Deputy probably has legitimate cause for making his case, which he makes very strongly and well, particularly in the context of Brexit, it is important that the message does not go out that we somehow have a blind spot for the north west - we do not.