Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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573. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if additional funding has been extended to Tourism Ireland in the context of Brexit; the state of preparedness of the organisation regarding Brexit; the overall funding granted to Tourism Ireland in the past three years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50272/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Budget 2019 provided for the largest increase in the tourism budget in 15 years. Additional funding has been allocated to Tourism Ireland to respond to the impact of Brexit. Details of funding for the various tourism subheads will be available in the Revised Estimates Volume, which will be published shortly by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Brexit has been a major factor in Tourism Ireland’s planning for some time now, particularly given the importance of Britain as a key source market for tourism. It has already implemented a series of measures in the British market to address the impact of Brexit and the fall in the value of sterling. In addition, I am satisfied that the increased funding allocated to Tourism Ireland in 2019 will allow the agency to take further measures to counteract any negative impact on Irish tourism following the finalisation of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU.

The detailed plans of the agency are an operational matter for the board of management of Tourism Ireland. I have referred this part of the Deputy's question to Tourism Ireland for direct reply. Please contact my private office if you have not received a reply within ten working days.

Tourism Ireland is jointly funded through the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Department of the Economy in Northern Ireland. Tourism Ireland's overall funding from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in each of the years from 2016 to 2018 inclusive is set out in the following table.