Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I was going to table a Commencement matter to ask the Minister to inform me of all of the successful sports capital grant applications in west Cork, but I am sure he would shy away from informing me about them. Instead, I am seeking an update on the review of the Wild Atlantic Way and the potential inclusion in it of Union Hall.

In July 2017 I had the privilege and pleasure of taking the Minister of State to Courtmacsherry and Union Hall, two beautiful, scenic areas in west Cork. Courtmacsherry has been included in the Wild Atlantic Way, which I welcome. The inclusion of Seven Heads Peninsula is still going through a process and I hope that part of Courtmacsherry will be included in time.

I bring to the attention of the Minister of State the plight of Union Hall, a beautiful village that has so much to offer tourists, including walking and cycle routes and wonderful restaurant, as part of the Wild Atlantic Way experience. We need a timeline for when the review of the Wild Atlantic Way will be completed. This community that is so active in promoting what it has to offer needs some movement on the question of when and how we can actually have Union Hall included in the Wild Atlantic Way. It is located only a few kilometres off the N71. It is a place of unique beauty that would add in many ways to the experience of the Wild Atlantic Way. I hope we can have a process put in place to tie in the village and what it can add. I hope the Wild Atlantic Way can be extended to include these small villages because it has been one of the major successes of the Government. It has been a unique success in what it has brought to the west and south. We need to build on that success by including these small and wonderful communities. If that can be done, we will increase our figures and, in turn, villages such as Union Hall will develop their tourism potential. That is the key to and the strength of the Wild Atlantic Way project.