Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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202. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of the Make 2023 the Year of the Invitation initiative that was outlined in the programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27674/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Whilst the tourism sector is still navigating the survival stage of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is also important that we plan for recovery and rebuilding in the tourism sector. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to seek to emulate the success of the Gathering by creating a similar themed year.  Similarly, the Tourism Recovery Plan 2020-2023 includes a recommendation to develop a Global Invitation programme. There is no doubt that a project of this nature will provide a much needed boost in overseas visitors and strong reconnections with diaspora groups.

€5 million in additional funding has been secured in Budget 2022 to begin preparations for a themed project aimed at attracting overseas visitors to Ireland to celebrate our authentic arts, culture and heritage. This project will provide an excellent opportunity to aid the recovery in multiple sectors that have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

This Programme for Government commitment provides a unique opportunity to deepen the connections with the Irish diaspora and showcase our natural landscape and historic and cultural assets while building on what makes Ireland unique; our welcome and our people. To that end, my officials, in consultation with the tourism agencies, have begun the conceptual development process and consideration is also being given as to the most opportune time for delivery to ensure that this initiative will help to galvanise the tourism response overseas, accelerate recovery and boost resilience in the sector.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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203. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of the Irish Sea Way initiative which is in the programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27675/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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My Department's role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national tourism policy and implementation of that policy is a matter for the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, as well as certain other bodies.  With specific regard to the development of tourism product offerings, such as the proposed Irish Sea Way walking trail, these are operational matters for Fáilte Ireland in line with its tourism development functions. I have referred this question to them for direct response to the Deputy.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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204. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of the Programme for Government initiative to work with the Northern Ireland executive to create a coastal tourist trail linking the Wild Atlantic Way, the Causeway Coastal Route and the area along Ireland’s eastern and southern coasts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27676/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland continue to collaborate on the promotion of the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route as one coastal tourism route in the overseas markets. The importance of tourism to the economy on both sides of the border and the clear logic in taking a joint approach to the promotion and development of the sector led to tourism being one of the areas chosen for formal North South cooperation, through the structures created by the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. That cooperation has been hugely beneficial, with the tourism sector now an exemplar of what can be achieved when we work together on this island with a shared purpose and for clear mutual benefit.

Tourism Ireland promotes the island of Ireland in more than 21 markets overseas as a compelling holiday destination, using the Ireland brand to position the island as strongly as possible against more than 200 other destinations with which Ireland competes.  Tourism Ireland promotes both the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route on a range of platforms, including online, via publicity and overseas trade platforms.

My Department and both tourism agencies will continue to foster north-south co-operation to enhance an all-island tourism offering and grow international visitor numbers to the entire island.

On 20 January 2022, I took part in a Shared Island Dialogue event hosted by the Department of the Taoiseach, which focused on all-island tourism. Over 160 tourism and civil society stakeholders from across the island joined the event online to discuss the success of tourism cooperation on the island of Ireland over the past 20 years and explore how best to enhance opportunities for domestic and international visitors in the years ahead.

My Department will continue to work with the Department of the Taoiseach on implementing our commitments to the North/South development of tourism as included in the Shared Island chapter of the renewed National Development Plan. This includes supporting Tourism Ireland in its mission to grow tourism into the island of Ireland, to promote the recovery of the sector post-pandemic and to work with the Northern Ireland Executive on developing large scale North/South tourism initiatives which will support the sustainable growth of the sector including cross-border walking and cycling trails as well as new marketing opportunities.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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205. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount of funding that her Department allocated to the Tourism Ireland regional cooperative marketing fund in each of the years 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27678/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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As the Deputy is aware, Tourism Ireland promotes regional air and sea access to Ireland in overseas tourism markets through initiatives like the Regional Cooperative Marketing Fund, which seeks to encourage new access and maximise the potential of existing services to the regions, with matched funding from airlines, sea carriers, airports, ports and regional tourism stakeholders including Local Authorities. 

The Regional Cooperative Marketing Fund has been very important in enabling tactical partnerships that have helped drive increases in visitors to the regions, amplifying the Ireland message overseas and supporting direct access. This scheme will continue to form a very important part of Tourism Ireland's plans in supporting the recovery of our tourism sector in a post-pandemic environment. 

The allocation to Tourism Ireland in respect of the Regional Cooperative Marketing Fund was €2.5 million in 2020, €3 million in 2021 and €3 million is also allocated for 2022.