Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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364.To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht what direct financial supports, if any, are available to encourage people to invest in hostel-type accommodation in vacant units in areas with bed shortages in the tourism sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25517/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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My Department's role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national tourism policy and implementation of that policy is a matter for the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, as well as certain other bodies.

The importance of the tourism sector to the Irish economy and communities in every corner of Ireland is well understood and it is recognised that the use of tourist accommodation to support the government’s response to the humanitarian crisis has impacted the sector.

In Budget 2024, I secured total funding of €216 million for the tourism sector, which allows for the continued support of tourism development in Ireland for local and overseas visitors. Of this allocation, up to €10 million is available for a specific programme of supports targeted at tourism businesses experiencing particular challenges linked to the reduction in footfall in regions most impacted by tourism bed-stock displacement.

On the wider question of the use of tourism bed-stock for humanitarian accommodation purposes, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth recently secured the Government's approval for a new comprehensive accommodation strategy for International Protection applicants, that will see a move away from full reliance on private providers and toward a core of State-owned accommodation, delivering 14,000 State-owned beds by 2028.

Fáilte Ireland has carried out a number of accommodation audits to establish a baseline for existing tourism accommodation capacity for local authorities in each destination and region. Additional capacity-supply growth projections have been identified for all counties based on best estimates of demand recovery to 2030, the current gaps in the market by location and type, and changing consumer preferences for accommodation categories.

In tandem with the work of Fáilte Ireland, my Department is progressing the development of a new national tourism policy framework that will seek to mainstream sustainability - environmental, economic and societal - across the entire tourism sector. The new framework will shape how our tourism industry develops in the period to 2030. Issues around tourism accommodation stock will be considered as part of the new policy framework and subsequent action plan.

For now, as the specific matter raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland, I have referred your question to that agency for a direct response to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.