Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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867. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline the supports that have been provided by his Department, by Fáilte Ireland or by any other Government agency to support tourism in the Gorey and Kilmuckridge municipal districts at any stage in the period 2015 to 2024, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40917/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The 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.

I am advised however that Fáilte Ireland has supported local tourism businesses across Wexford under four strategic pillars; Climate Action, Commercial Resilience, People and Performance, and Digitisation. Tourism businesses in the area have been supported specifically by Fáilte Ireland’s Employer Excellence Programme, Champions Programme, and Climate Action Programmes during the period in question.

My Department has also supported businesses across all sectors in Ireland, including tourism, through a range of loan schemes and financial supports during the period 2015 to 2024. These supports have been delivered both through ongoing schemes and targeted interventions in response to specific economic challenges. The €500 million Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme (GSLS), launched in September 2023, offers long-term, low-cost finance to SMEs and small mid-caps. As of March 2025, Wexford ranks 4th nationally in total loan value drawn. The Accommodation and Food Service Activities sector ranks 5th in both loan volume and value, reflecting strong uptake by tourism-related enterprises.

Microfinance Ireland also provides loans of up to €50,000 to microenterprises that may not meet conventional lending criteria. In 2024, it approved €9.1 million across 517 businesses. Wexford ranked 5th in approvals, with tourism-linked sectors accounting for the third highest loan value.

In addition to ongoing supports, my Department administered several targeted schemes during the period in question, which were available to businesses. Those closed schemes are -

• Ukraine Credit Guarantee Scheme
• Covid Credit Guarantee Scheme
• Covid-19 Loan Scheme
• Brexit Impact Loan Scheme
• Future Growth Loan Scheme
• COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme
• Brexit Loan Scheme