Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will probably not need the whole eight minutes.

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, to the House today to speak about the report from the committee. There are 12 or so recommendations contained within it but it is really about the working conditions and payments within the tourism sector. I am aware that the Taoiseach, in his previous role, brought through the Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Act 2022. The issue around tips is one of the five workers' rights that we are fighting for in government. In other words, tips cannot make up basic wages. That is really important in the hospitality industry as well. I was in a hotel recently and was paying by tapping my card and hoping I could add the tips on top. Do all hospitality providers and restaurants ensure we can do that so that if customers wish to leave a tip, they are able to do that and it will go to employees as well?

Fáilte Ireland has rolled out a huge programme this week around engagement. I was on the session on Monday and I know the Minister was speaking on it as well. It is great to see Fáilte Ireland's engagement with providers and industry stakeholders, and the roll-out to different regions around that stakeholder brand. The Wild Atlantic Way and the Hidden Heartlands are two such brands that are in County Galway. I am really interested in the Hidden Heartlands brand. I have raised this a number of times with Fáilte Ireland, including this week. When you log on to register for this, you are asked what county you are from. When you indicate you are from County Galway, you are automatically forwarded to the Wild Atlantic Way even though east Galway is a key part of the Hidden Heartlands. East Galway is 40 miles from the coastal region and is one of the key areas which has been affected by the just transition process. Some €68 million is going to Fáilte Ireland from the just transition fund. Its presentation looks at the Beara-Breifne Way, which is one of the key walks that comes right through the spine of Ireland, from west Cork all the way up through many counties. It will be phenomenal. At the moment, community groups are getting funding for different pieces throughout the year. I was frustrated this week, to be honest, because hotel businesses, hospitality providers and community groups involved in tourism in rural areas like east Galway and Roscommon would not have a natural draw for huge amounts of tourism. The €5 million investment in the National Famine Museum in Strokestown was one of the largest investments by Fáilte Ireland but I am talking about the roll-outs that have been planned by Fáilte Ireland in terms of engaging with industry, training employees and showing that there is career progression. All of this has been offered online. If businesses do not know about the meetings that are happening and have not received invitations directly from Fáilte Ireland, and when you log on and say you are from Galway you only get an invite to the Wild Atlantic Way, how is that meeting the just transition criteria about it being offered to all counties? That is something Fáilte Ireland might look at. I have engaged with it this week on that.

I will speak about some of the other areas on the tourism side of things. I believe we have great quality in terms of staff, hotels and restaurants. I know there are so many groups that are reaching out. We have groups which are community groups, as well as those in industry. For example, the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland has brand new branches around the River Suck along the Beara-Breifne Way. It is trying to promote tourism along the waterways by working with Waterways Ireland and engaging with Fáilte Ireland. Many of these development groups are in towns. We have small towns which sometimes do not have chambers of commerce. Sometimes we do not have that industry clout in a town. We have community groups that have the clout. How can these community groups be supported in trying to promote tourism in their local areas?

Those are some of the keys points I wish to make. I would like to see more proactive engagement, at least in the early stages, in areas that may not be as familiar with the tourism benefits and supports that are being offered through Fáilte Ireland, particularly in areas affected by the just transition process when funding is being provided to that end.