Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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19. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if any further measures are anticipated to assist the tourism sector in advance of the summer season and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16935/24]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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47. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the measures that will be implemented to assist the tourism sector meet additional business costs through initiatives of her own Department or through the agencies under the remit of her Department and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16978/24]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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This question relates to the extent to which measures are likely to be put in place to assist the tourism sector arising from the hiccups that have taken place over the past number of years such as Covid and the extent to which hotel space has had to be devolved other areas.

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 47 together.

2024 offers significant opportunity for overseas tourism. Ireland has a great product and a committed tourism industry and excellent relationships are in place with travel trade partners across the world. In 2024, Tourism Ireland overseas activity will include the expansion of the Fill Your Heart with Ireland campaign with enhanced Wild Atlantic Way content in support of its tenth anniversary and a continued focus on regional and seasonal messaging to increase tourism revenue across the regions and throughout the seasons.

Tourism Ireland would also work with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland on the roll-out of an umbrella certification scheme to promote sustainable travel. It is Fáilte Ireland's long-term objective to ensure a greater regional spread of the socioeconomic benefits of tourism. Four regional experience brands are at the heart of Fáilte Ireland's work to develop the spatial spread of tourism - the Wild Atlantic Way, Hidden Heartlands, Ireland's Ancient East and Dublin. For each brand, Fáilte Ireland has developed a regional tourism development strategy in partnership with local authorities, State agencies, communities and industry partners. Fáilte Ireland has painstakingly developed these strategies to ensure the focus on tourism development is sustainable and regenerative and that the benefits accrue to local communities and nature.

In 2024, Fáilte Ireland will have a programme of cross-sectoral supports for tourism, including supporting digitisation, which is delivering commercial benefits in both revenue generation and operational efficiencies. There will be continued support for careers in tourism that delivers higher retention and attraction of staff in and to the sector and a business support grant for activities and attractions businesses affected in 2023. There will be a continued capital investment programme, including progressing the €68 million EU transition fund to deliver a transformative regenerative tourism scheme for the midlands.

I acknowledge the concerns of businesses about the costs of doing business across the economy. As part of the wider Government response, a range of measures have been brought forward by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to assist businesses in adjusting to increased costs as well more generally to improve the cost competitiveness of firms. Tease measures will be of benefit to tourism businesses and include the €257 million increased costs of business scheme. The Department is also developing option papers on the application of a lower rate of employer PRSI contribution as well as range of measures to reduce red tape and the administrative burden on businesses.

From a longer-term and tourism-specific perspective, I am progressing the development of a new tourism policy framework and while it will aim to grow the tourism sector, the objective will be to do so in a manner consistent with our broader sustainability targets. Regional growth and season extension will be important objectives. I will continue to advocate and work for the tourism sector, including engaging with my Government colleagues to address the challenges which the sector faces, as well as making the most of the opportunities that Government support and investment can bring to the sector.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for that comprehensive reply. I ask if it might be possible to do an audit of the hotel space available in County Kildare and other midland counties with a view to ensuring the maximum bed space is available to accommodate tourists to encourage them to avail of the opportunity of visiting those constituencies. This is not to suggest that other temporary occupants of hotel bed spaces be discommoded but that alternative ways and means be found so that both sides can prosper and can avail of maximum opportunity in the tourist season ahead, which is very important with regard to recovery to the full extent of tourism in our economy.

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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By way of update, I can confirm from talking to my colleague, the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, that over 300 accommodations which were in use by the Department, directly or through local authorities, for the beneficiaries of temporary protection since the commencement of the Ukraine crisis are no longer being used as of mid-April. Of these, over 40 are hotels with approximately 1,500 beds associated, and another 90 are categorised as bed and breakfast accommodation, guesthouses or hostels, with around 2,000 beds. There are various reasons for the discontinuance of use but it is primarily as a result of the provider terminating the contract or deciding not to renew it, or the Department choosing to no longer avail of the supplier’s services.