Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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382. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the cost of extending the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East initiatives to the north of Ireland; whether he has held any discussions with the Minister for the Economy in the north on this topic; and if there is a timeframe for implementation. [28868/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that tourism is now the policy responsibility of my colleague, Minister Peter Burke TD. Statutory responsibility for the sector will transfer to Minister Burke from 1 June 2025.

Enhancing cross-border cooperation and connections is a key ambition of this Government and tourism is an important asset towards achieving this goal.

By continuing to support the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, the Government seeks to strengthen Ireland’s reputation as a high-quality, accessible destination for both domestic and international visitors while also further integrating tourism offerings on an all-island basis.

The All-Island Strategic Tourism Group, established in 2024, is co-chaired by senior officials in the Department and the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland and has representatives from the three tourism agencies on the Island including Tourism Northern Ireland. The group provides a strategic approach, aligned to policy priorities, to the development and further integration of tourism offerings on an all-island basis, including collaboration in relation to regional tourism experience brands.

At the North South Ministerial Council Tourism Sectoral in April, Minister Burke and the Minister for the Economy, Minister Archibald, noted the ongoing collaboration between the tourism agencies on the €7.6 million Shared Island fund, granted in 2023, for the Wild Atlantic Way and Causeway Coastal route tourism brand collaboration project. Ministers also noted the future Shared Island projects under the Shared Destinations Programme 2025-2030 for three projects across the border region – Carlingford Lough, Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Geopark and Sliabh Beagh – and a Tourism Ireland International Marketing and Development Programme to maximise the economic impact for each area.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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383. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide a breakdown of Government funding to each of the airports in the State in the years 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28869/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy's office has clarified that the funding the question relates to is the Regional Cooperative Access Scheme.

The Programme for Government sets out the Government's commitment to the sustainable growth and development of Ireland’s tourism sector. Through continued support for Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, the Government aims to enhance Ireland’s reputation as a high-quality, accessible destination for both domestic and international visitors.

As an island destination, convenient direct and competitive access is critical to our continued tourism growth. Tourism Ireland promotes regional air and sea access to Ireland in overseas tourism markets through initiatives like the Regional Cooperative Access Scheme, which seeks to encourage new access and maximise the potential of existing services to the regions, including with matched funding from airlines, sea carriers, airports, ports and regional tourism stakeholders including Local Authorities.

In each of the years 2022, 2023 and 2024, the Department allocated €3 million to Tourism Ireland under the Regional Cooperative Access Scheme and has increased this funding in 2025 by a further €1 million to bring the total fund in 2025 to €4 million.

Engagement in cooperative activities with individual airports under the Scheme is an operational matter for Tourism Ireland and accordingly, my Department has referred this question to that agency for direct response to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.