Written answers

Tuesday, 21 June 2022

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Tourism Policy

Photo of Brian LeddinBrian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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61. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps she will take to ensure Fáilte Ireland and tourism projects which seek State funding are prioritising reduction in their own carbon emissions including across transport, food miles and energy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32189/22]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Ensuring a sustainable tourism product offering in Ireland is a key priority for me as part of the broader tourism policy development. A working group was established under the Tourism Action Plan 2019-2021 to review international policy and best practice in sustainable tourism and propose guiding principles for sustainable tourism development in Ireland.

To maintain momentum on the sustainable tourism agenda, the working group prepared an interim action plan which I brought to Government late last year. The report identified a suite of actions that aim to promote sustainable tourism practices out to 2023. These actions are being delivered by my Department, the tourism agencies and the tourism sector.

Reducing emissions will require significant change in business practices and this pathway for businesses is shaped by research and stakeholder engagement. Driving climate action is a strategic priority for Fáilte Ireland. Their Strategy aims to drive change at the level of the individual business and the destination to ensure that tourism plays its part in reducing emissions.

Fáilte Ireland is taking steps to address these challenges including the development of a ‘Bespoke CarbonCalculator’ for tourism businesses which will allow businesses to measure and understand their carbon footprint, set targets for emission reductions and benchmark their business both with themselves over time and other tourism businesses.

Understanding the imperative of a step change required at the level of the business Fáilte Ireland has designed a suite of tactical supports around Food waste, Water and Energy that provides businesses with the relevant and necessary advice and guidance to action the imbalance and ensure that positive change can happen.

A Climate Action Roadmap’ along with a series of guides will explain sustainable tourism and in particular, it sets out the area of Climate Action required to reduce carbon emissions. It focuses in detail on the priority areas including energy, water and food waste, explaining the terminology and provides practical tips and advice on how to start and progress the journey. A range of best in class case studies will demonstrate the net benefits to starting on the sustainability journey and a repository housing all the latest information and advice is also being developed. 

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