Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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77. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline his Department’s efforts to promote tourism in east County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50283/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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At the outset, I should clarify that regional tourism promotion is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland, in collaboration with Local Authorities and other tourism stakeholders. County Galway is included in Fáilte Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands Regional Tourism Development Strategies 2023 – 2027. County Galway encompasses these two programme areas as follows; Galway City and the west coastline which is along the Wild Atlantic Way, while the east of the county is in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands.

Fáilte Ireland has established localised Destination Experience Development Plans (DEDPs) to activate these brands. The DEDPs are 5-year sustainable tourism development plans for a destination, which bring public and private sector organisations together to prioritise tourism development projects and maximise their chance for success. The DEDP’s are highly collaborative in nature, involving all local stakeholders and this is reflected in the agreed action plans where ownership is assigned among the various parties.

In relation to the East Galway DEDP, a tender process for a consultant has closed and a consultant will be appointed in October 2025. Once launched the process will seek to develop a five-year tourism development plan for East Galway in collaboration with stakeholders including Galway County Council.

A regional Industry briefing event was also organised by Failte Ireland for the East Galway tourism sector in April 2025, which saw 45 Tourism Businesses in attendance. In June 2025, Failte Ireland's international publicity team met at the Bia Innovator Hub in Athenry to learn about East Galway tourism businesses and consider ways to incorporate East Galway tourism product on international media itineraries traveling from Dublin to the Wild Atlantic Way. Failte Ireland has supported the production of a map of local tourism businesses in East Galway, in conjunction with Galway County Council, which will be launched targeting visitors for the 2026 season. Failte Ireland is also promoting tourism in East Galway though Irelands’ Hidden Heartlands” Business 2 Business promotional videos. These videos have featured by Failte Ireland at key travel tradeshows and workshops during 2025; highlighting the region’s unique offerings and inviting both international and domestic visitors to explore the region. Additionally East Galway tourism businesses will be featured in Failte Ireland's upcoming Business to Business Roadshow in October 2026.

From a development perspective, in September 2024, Waterways Ireland and Fáilte Ireland launched the redevelopment of Connaught Harbour in Portumna following a €2.8m investment, marking a significant milestone in the Shannon Tourism Masterplan. The redevelopment of Connaught Harbour included a significant expansion of the number of mooring berths in the harbour for public use which will further enhance the thriving boating and cruise hire sector in the region. The investment included the addition of canoe steps for access to the Lough Derg Blueway; additional onshore facilities such as seating and picnic areas; a new cycle and walking trail linking Connaught Harbour to Portumna town and Lough Derg Blueway; and additional parking facilities.