Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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89. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps her Department is taking to increase the volume of tourism accommodation available in the Lough Derg region of Tipperary, Clare and Limerick. [15545/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the Lough Derg Visitor Experience Development Plan 2020-2024 is an integrated approach to destination development in the region including accommodation. The cross-agency approach to co-ordinated investment in the area has positioned the Lough Derg region to fulfil a key role in the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands national brand experience.

At a national level, Fáilte Ireland is currently working on accommodation audits to establish a baseline on existing capacity and to provide gap analysis in each destination and region. As part of the roll out of all Destination Experience Development Plans, Fáilte Ireland will audit and map out current accommodation stock. This will include a quality and gap analysis (if any) for additional accommodation development on a county-by-county basis.

Fáilte Ireland will use these audits to inform Local Authorities as they shape their own tourism accommodation strategies. For example, to ensure that tourist accommodation development is clearly identified in future county development plans, Fáilte Ireland will make recommendations on the optimum accommodation mix required to fill any gaps in the market.

As the Deputy is aware, the Government has also approved the priority drafting of the Registration of Short-Term Tourist Letting Bill, which is currently the subject of pre-legislative scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media. The Bill provides for the registration of short-term tourist lettings, in line with the commitment under Housing for All,the Government's housing policy. The Short Term Lettings Register, which will be operated by Fáilte Ireland, will allow the State, for the first time, to have a full picture of the stock of tourist accommodation. This will significantly enhance Fáilte Ireland’s ability to promote wider tourism investment, based on, for example, return on investment measured on bednights.

The combined insights of the accommodation audits and the Short Term Lettings Register, will help shape and inform Ireland’s long term accommodation development plans to meet the ever changing consumer demands and trends.