Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The importance of the tourism sector to the Irish economy and to communities in every corner of Ireland is well understood. My responsibility is for the development of overall tourism policy and the sustainable development of the tourism sector. A key part of this is ensuring there is a balanced regional supply and an overall development of a broad mix of accommodation on offer.

To determine the current profile of accommodation in the tourism sector Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, is currently working on Accommodation Audits that will establish a baseline for existing capacity and 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 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. Officials from my Department are also engaged in policy and strategy development with regard to the future accommodation needs for the tourism sector and the work being done by Fáilte Ireland will be an important input in this regard.

The war in Ukraine, combined with the high number of international protection applicants has resulted in the largest humanitarian effort in the State's history. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is engaged across Government concerning temporary accommodation for those in need of shelter and is responsible for all contracted accommodation used to house Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP) and other International Protection (IP) applicants.

In June 2023, Fáilte Ireland carried out a detailed analysis of data provided by DCEDIY concerning the bed stock under contract to accommodate Ukrainian BOTBs and IPs and established that 13% of the tourism stock nationally that is registered with Fáilte Ireland was under contract to DCEDIY. An additional quantum of tourism-type accommodation that is not registered with Fáilte Ireland is also contracted to DCEDIY. This analysis also identified that, in five counties, more than 20% of the registered stock is used for humanitarian purposes, peaking at 33% in Clare.

On foot of this information my Department has, at the Senior Officials Group on Ukraine, which is led by the Department of the Taoiseach, communicated the potential challenges arising for the tourism ecosystem, particularly in those parts of the country where high proportions of the tourism accommodation stock are directed to humanitarian purposes.

As part of the Budget settlement that I have secured for tourism in 2024, up to €10 million has been identified for a comprehensive programme of supports targeted at downstream tourism businesses experiencing particular trading challenges linked to the reduction in footfall to activities and attractions in regions most impacted by tourism bed stock displacement.

This programme of supports includes investment in sustainable tourism development and promotion, industry digitalisation, promotion of domestic tourism and festivals and recruitment and retention initiatives.

I have also asked Fáilte Ireland to engage with impacted businesses to consider the scope for a specific business support scheme that could help the most affected tourism activities and attractions and to report back to me on options and recommendations in four weeks’ time. A strong evidence-base will be critical in this regard and I have asked the tourism sector, particularly activities and attractions, to engage with Fáilte Ireland in order to provide direct and verifiable evidence of how tourism accommodation stock displacement has negatively impacted on their businesses.