Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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146. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will report regarding supports for the tourism sector in areas directly impacted by the move away from peat production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15941/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Under the EU Just Transition Fund, the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) is the Managing Authority and Fáilte Ireland is an Intermediate Body. In Ireland, the Fund’s geographic territory includes Counties Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Roscommon and the Municipal Districts of Ballinasloe (County Galway), Athy, Clane-Maynooth, (County Kildare) and Carrick-on-Suir and Thurles (County Tipperary).

Fáilte Ireland has operational responsibility for the administration of €68 million for a Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme in the period 2023-2026. Accordingly, I have referred this question to that agency to provide more details of the specific supports to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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147. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his priorities regarding tourism under the National Development Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15942/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government commits to prioritising an early review of the National Development Plan, a process that is to commence shortly.

As set out in the Programme for Government, this Government is committed to growing Ireland’s tourism industry. Through support for Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, we will continue to showcase Ireland as a high-quality and accessible destination for both national and international visitors.

This Government will work with Fáilte Ireland to develop a balanced regional spread of tourism throughout the country, promoting and advancing the Hidden Heartlands, Ireland’s Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way and Dublin. This will involve continued support for investment in the tourism offering to attract overseas and domestic tourists.

Minister Peter Burke TD will have formal responsibility for tourism once the function has been transferred to him by Government Order and has already had a number of engagements with key tourism stakeholders across a range of key priority areas.

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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148. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will report on his engagements with the OECD Tourism Committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15943/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The OECD Tourism Committee analyses and monitors policies and structural changes affecting the development of tourism internationally. The Committee also monitors tourism performance internationally. More details of the Committee’s work including relevant publications can be found on the OECD website (www.oecd.org).

Ireland continues to be an active member of the OECD Tourism Committee and contributes to relevant publications and research. Officials from the Tourism Division of the Department attend the Committee which usually meets twice a year while officials from the CSO also attend meetings of the Working Party on Tourism Statistics. The latest meeting of the OECD Tourism Committee is taking place this week and Ireland will again be represented at official level.

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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149. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to report on the working groups he intends to establish relating to tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15947/25]

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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150. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will report on the appointment of a new tourism leadership group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15948/25]

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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151. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the timeframe in which they intend to bring forward a tourism accommodation policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15949/25]

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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152. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the timeframe in which he intends to publish a new tourism policy to 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15950/25]

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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158. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to report on the work of the hospitality and tourism forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15957/25]

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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162. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline the currently operational strategy/policy documents within his Department relating to tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15961/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 149, 150, 151, 152, 158 and 162 together.

The Tourism Policy Framework 2025 – 2030 was published by the previous Government last November. I understand that my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD, has asked officials to consider how commitments in the new Programme for Government (PFG) align with the Policy Framework and to prioritise the finalisation of a new Tourism Policy which reflects the PFG and other Government priorities.

The Hospitality and Tourism Forum provides an invaluable platform for key stakeholders from the tourism and hospitality sectors. The Forum provides for structured engagement between the tourism and hospitality sectors and Government where key matters can be discussed with a view to identifying practical solutions. The Hospitality and Tourism Forum met on two occasions in 2024 with the most recent meeting taking place in June.

Once work on the new Tourism Policy is complete, Minister Burke will announce details of any new Tourism Leadership Group, plans for a detailed tourism accommodation policy, the future of the Hospitality and Tourism Forum, or any other working groups to implement the new policy objectives. Furthermore, I understand the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is now leading the co-ordinated development of Ireland’s first Business Events Strategy in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. The overarching aim of this strategy is to deliver on the full value of business events, achieving benefits for Ireland by ensuring positive impacts on more than 20,000 small and medium-size enterprises (SME’s), local communities and sectoral collectives.