Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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9. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on his proposals to cultivate cross-Border tourism. [62277/25]

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Minister outline to the House his work on the promotion of cross-Border tourism?

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for this important question. Enhancing cross-Border co-operation and connections is a key ambition of this Government and tourism is an important asset we have to realise together.

Tourism Ireland is responsible for marketing the island of Ireland overseas as a leading holiday destination and works closely with colleagues in Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland. In addition to a commitment to work with Fáilte Ireland to develop a balanced regional spread of tourism throughout the country, further advancing the experience brands, the programme for Government also includes a commitment to support Tourism Ireland to further integrate tourism offerings on an all-island basis.

The Government is also committed to completing construction of the Narrow Water Bridge and to supporting the local authorities on both sides of the bridge in developing the new tourism opportunities it will bring and to collaborating with partners North and South of the Border.

At the North South Ministerial Council tourism sectoral in June 2024, Ministers signed a joint ministerial statement supporting sustainable tourism and agreed to the establishment of a joint strategic co-ordination group for the sustainable growth of the tourism sector across both jurisdictions.

The all-island strategic tourism group, which is co-chaired by officials in my Department and the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy, with representatives from the three tourism agencies, provides a strategic approach, aligned to policy priorities, to the development and implementation of all-island initiatives. The aim of the group is aligned with the measure in the programme for Government to support Tourism Ireland to further integrate tourism offerings on an all-island basis.

Tourism is also a central pillar of the shared island initiative. The brand collaboration project to connect the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route in the north-west region has made significant progress this year with the roll-out of the small grants scheme for destinations on both sides of the Border.

In May, Tourism Ireland launched a new campaign called Coast to Coast: The Scenic Route, which was supported by the shared island tourism brand collaboration project. The campaign reached almost 15 million people across Britain.

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister and welcome his response. As Ireland's largest indigenous industry, tourism is a crucial sector and our largest regional employer. It is right that Ireland is marketed by Tourism Ireland on an all-Ireland basis and I welcome efforts to link the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route. In effect, this is nearly a circuit of the island of Ireland for tourism trails. Will the Minister speak to any plans to complete the circuit and to link and extend Ireland's Ancient East into the North but also in terms of Ulster being a destination? Will he also speak to his work to encourage cross-Border tourism in terms of Donegal, Derry, Monaghan, Tyrone, Armagh and Cavan?

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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We are working closely with our partners in Northern Ireland to expand our brands, particularly Ireland's Hidden Heartlands. There is ground for expansion there. I met with Minister Archibald in London last week. We were doing an expo together. It is great to see everyone together trying to push Ireland as a destination. We have discussed a number of areas which we will be supporting through the shared island initiative but also through Tourism Ireland, the all-island body.

There is a huge amount of opportunity. We currently have approximately 46,000 SMEs in the tourism sector. One in every ten jobs is supported in that sector. It is key that we grow its value proposition. I also want to reflect that tourism is now at the heart of the Department of enterprise. There are so many SMEs right around our country that depend on that authentic offering that is really valued all over the world. We will be doing a huge amount to develop business models on our SME side to support the opportunity that there is in the market. I believe we have very bright days ahead. We will hopefully launch our new tourism policy in early December. It will be a big opportunity to show the vision we have as a Government to enhance the product and brand as well as to grow revenues and jobs sustainably. It is also critical that we develop career pathways that are important for people working in the sector.

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I look forward to seeing that tourism policy. I hope the Minister incorporates a rail network that runs through Monaghan, Cavan and Donegal. If you look at the top of Ireland on the map, we have no rail network up there. I know it is not the Minister's Department but I hope he is working with the Department of Transport to ensure that happens. It is not on at this stage.

The maximum potential across the avenue of tourism will require an accurate understanding of how the tourism sector is performing. For some time now there seems to be some confusion on that point. The Central Statistics Office, CSO, has been recording a decline in visitors this year, which some stakeholders have refuted. Any confusion should now be put to rest given the latest tourism barometer from Fáilte Ireland. It shows that 43% of all tourism businesses reported a fall in income this summer. The situation seems to be worst outside the coastal tourism trails. Will the Minister outline his response to this and his efforts to support the industry and promote jobs in the sector? Will he also speak on the rail network and whether he has discussed it with the Minister for Transport?

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Last year was a bumper year for tourism and it is a big challenge to replicate that. However, we have to look at the evidence and the facts. Some 12% fewer seats came into our country because of the airport cap. That was a very significant challenge for the tourism sector. That will not be the case for the winter ahead. I think there will be approximately 9% more seats in the winter ahead, which will provide capacity for well over 1 million people to come into our country. This will provide a huge amount of additional opportunity.

The plan that we will hopefully launch in early December will show how we are going to grow revenue sustainably and grow the number of visitors coming in, which is critically important. We will also outline career pathways as well as looking at extending the season from St. Brigid's Day right out to Halloween. There is a huge amount of opportunity in those areas.

We will have a very exciting culinary strategy looking at food and beverages. I am going to do that on an all-island basis, which is important, working in co-operation with our colleagues in Northern Ireland. That is a huge opportunity, particularly for markets, like in Europe, which are under pressure in terms of how they view the authentic offering from artisan food producers and distilleries right around the country. We have a lot of opportunity there. I will raise the other issue of rail with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien.