Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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42. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress she has made in developing a Dark Skies Strategy for Ireland. [27681/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Our Rural Future is the most ambitious and transformational policy for rural development in Ireland for decades. The policy contains more than 150 measures for delivery across the whole of Government, with the underlying theme of economic, environmental and societal sustainability.

The policy has a vision of ensuring vibrant and thriving rural towns and villages, with a key objective to maximise opportunities for individuals, communities and businesses in rural areas.  It recognises that rural areas play an integral role in the economic, social and cultural recovery and wellbeing of the country.

The policy commits to developing a Dark Skies Strategy for Ireland, with a focus on the opportunities it can create for rural communities and employment creation.  

My Department has undertaken desk research and engagement with key stakeholders, such as representatives of Dark Sky Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. Further consultations included in-depth discussions with Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in the context of its responsibility for tourism policy.

The desk research and preliminary consultations indicated the necessity for the establishment of a structured consultation with key stakeholders in order to maximise complementarity and alignment with broader tourism policies and processes. Further substantive engagement with this group is now foreseen over the coming months with a view to defining priorities and next steps.