Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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342. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide a breakdown of all grants made by her Department to tourism bodies and tourism companies in each of the years 2022 and 2023, including the value and reason for each grant, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10157/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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My role and that of my Department in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national tourism policy development and in securing resources to assist the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, in implementing that policy.

Details of the annual funding allocations provided by my Department to Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland are available in the annual Revised Estimates Volume (REV) and supplementary estimates published by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and are available on that Department's website.

Tourism Ireland is funded through the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland.

The subheads of relevance to Tourism Ireland are A4, A5 for 2022 and 2023 and additionally A7 for 2023. The subheads of relevance to Fáilte Ireland are A3, A5 and A6 for 2022 and 2023 and additionally A8 for 2023. Further details are available in the Agency Statements for Fáilte Ireland included in the REV under Vote 33.

With regard to specific expenditure by Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland from its Exchequer funding allocations, grants provided to tourism companies in 2022 and 2023 are operational matters for both tourism agencies.

Accordingly, I have referred this question to Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland for their attention and for direct response to you in relation to grants provided to tourism companies in 2022 and 2023. Please contact my private office if you have not received a reply within ten working days.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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343. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if, following the cessation of the Food Tourism Strategy 2018 – 2023, her Department or any tourism bodies under the aegis of her Department have plans for the development and implementation of a new Food Tourism Strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10158/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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In the coming months, I will publish a new national tourism policy framework that will mainstream sustainability – environmental, economic and societal – across the entire tourism sector. The framework will shape how our tourism industry develops in the period to 2030. In this regard, while I want to see the sector grow, I want it to do so in a manner that is consistent with our broader sustainability targets and ensures that Ireland will be a brand leader in sustainable tourism. While engagement with tourism stakeholders has already taken place on the new framework, a public consultation is expected to open shortly. This will provide an opportunity for everybody to share their perspectives and views on what should be included in the new policy framework. Issues around food tourism will be fully considered as part of the new Policy Framework and subsequent Action Plan. As the Deputy will be aware, Fáilte Ireland continues to focus on the development and enhancement of the food experience for visitors.