Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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46. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if consideration has been given to developing County Meath’s tourism trade as a stronger employment field given the county’s cultural and historical importance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50681/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government provides that this Government will work with Fáilte Ireland to develop a balanced regional spread of tourism throughout the country, promoting and enhancing the Hidden Heartlands, Ireland's Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way and Dublin. County Meath is included in Fáilte Ireland’s Ancient East regional tourism development strategy 2023-27. Ireland's Ancient East is not only internationally renowned for its rich heritage but also for the variety of tracks and trails by which the region can be explored and discovered.

Fáilte Ireland has established localised five-year Destination Experience Development Plans (DEDPs). These local development plans are highly collaborative in nature, involving local stakeholders and this is reflected in the agreed action plans where ownership is assigned among the various parties. Under the strategy, the “Ancient” DEDP which includes Meath, provides a destination-wide tourism development focus which harnesses existing plans and examines new projects to create a world-class destination with "ancient" as the core development theme.

One of the key tourism achievements in County Meath to date includes the continued growth of the world-class Púca festival, which has contributed greatly to an emerging tourism destination. The Púca festival, developed by Fáilte Ireland in partnership with Meath County Council, plays a key role in attracting visitors who support revenue generation and job creation in local communities. Furthermore, the “Home of Halloween Destination Development Scheme” which is operated by Fáilte Ireland was an open call issued to all Local Authorities in 2025. Destination selection was via a competitive application process, with Meath County Council and Louth County Council being successful with a joint project. A total of €2.1 million will be invested in 7 locations across the country over the next three years (2025–2028) under the “Home of Halloween Destination Development Scheme”. Each destination will receive up to €100,000 annually over a three-year period (2025–2028). Over the course of three years the seven supported projects are projected to attract approximately337,000 additional visitors, generating an estimated€28 million in economic impactfor local communities.

In relation to employment, Fáilte Ireland, continues to support the tourism industry to build the talent and skills it needs to remain profitable, competitive and resilient. A key priority, in this regard, is to support tourism businesses to adopt quality employment practices, to ensure that the sector is recognised as a desirable and rewarding career choice, and that individuals working in it can continue to develop their own expertise, knowledge and skills, to build a long-term and successful career. Fáilte Ireland plays a pivotal role in supporting tourism jobs across the country through a multifaceted approach that includes training, funding, regional development, and inclusive employment initiatives. Key initiatives include Fáilte Ireland’s Employer Excellence Programme which supports businesses to improve employee engagement, satisfaction, and the online learning platform, LearniFI, facilitating tourism staff to upskill in areas critical to business performance.

Fáilte Ireland currently aligns business supports for tourism experiences under four strategic pillars; Climate Action, Commercial Resilience, People and Performance, and Digitisation. For example, Fáilte Ireland is continuing to enhance the digital presence of tourism businesses through their Digital that Delivers programme. The funding awarded to businesses in County Meath from 2021 to 15 August 2025 was €257,238.63. The Deputy may also be aware that there is simplified access to grants and support programmes through the National Enterprise Hub (NEH) which can be accessed online at neh.gov.ie. The NEH has listed over 250 different supports for businesses from 30 Departments and agencies