Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 October 2023
6. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when a five-year plan for tourism will be announced for the Lee Valley area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45708/23]
View answer19. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media that an area (details supplied) will be included in any tourism plan for the Lee Valley area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45709/23]
View answerI am really excited about the tourism potential that exists across the Lee Valley. At one end of it, we have the globally-known Blarney Castle, right the way up through the Gearagh and on to Gougane Barra, for example, and there is zip lining, activities in Coachford, cultural tourism and so many other opportunities. Will the Minister outline the plans to promote the Lee Valley and whether a five-year plan can be established for that?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 19 together.
Before I reply to these questions, I wish to acknowledge the devastation in Cork due to the floods. We have opened the humanitarian assistance support and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Coveney, has also committed to working with local councils to assess the damage and respond quickly. I will liaise closely with the Minister and have asked my officials to engage with Fáilte Ireland to assess the situation from a tourism perspective. However, our thoughts are with all the people and businesses, who have woken up to an absolute nightmare this morning, as they try to recover.
Regarding the Deputy's questions, the tourism sector continues to play a significant role in supporting the State’s humanitarian effort in response to the unjust Russian war against Ukraine. In June 2023, Fáilte Ireland carried out a detailed analysis of the data provided by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, concerning the bed stock under contract to accommodate Ukrainians. The data identified that, in five counties, more than 20% of the registered stock is used for humanitarian purposes, peaking at 33% in County Clare. We are looking at supporting various businesses in the Lee Valley and developing the potential there. We are engaging with Fáilte Ireland on that too.
On the five-year plan, I can liaise with the Deputy and officials will link in with him regarding the tourism plan for the Lee Valley. There is huge potential in this area and he has named some of the opportunities there. We will engage with Fáilte Ireland on that and will look at the development of the plan.
I thank the Minister regarding her acknowledgement of the current situation locally after the torrential downpours and the pressure people are under. Support will definitely be needed to help with the clean-up and to get them back up and running. People are just stunned by the volume of rainfall and are dealing with it.
Focusing on the tourism potential of the Lee Valley, there is a broad offering. Having spoken with Fáilte Ireland officials again more recently, I know it has been making efforts to put in place a plan and that the area would be a spur off or a loop on the Wild Atlantic Way. While I welcome that and that is very positive, there is much more potential within the Lee Valley that would almost warrant a stand-alone plan. Can efforts be made to use the current plan as a stepping stone to take this on to a stand-alone plan?
As the Deputy knows, significant supports have been provided to Cork. The Lee Valley features on Fáilte Ireland's discoverireland.ie website for domestic visitors. This is the one-stop shop that showcases the wealth of attractions to see and Cork features heavily there. Tourism Ireland has Ronan O'Gara as an ambassador, which is very much putting Cork on the map. Regarding the regional tourism development strategies, Cork City and east Cork is included in Fáilte Ireland's new Ireland's Ancient East development strategy; west Cork is included in the new Wild Atlantic Way development strategy; and the Ballyhoura region is included in Ireland's Hidden Heartlands development strategy. These roadmaps for the tourism industry, and all stakeholders involved in tourism in the regions, will help navigate the current challenges and steer a course towards a sustainable recovery and continued success. They will ensure a focus on tourism and development is sustainable. We have the capital investment in Cork, the platforms for growth, the shared water facilities, the urban animation scheme with Cork City Council, the destination towns initiative, the Digital that Delivers programme and Cork Harbour development plan. It is an area that gets support because it is such a tourism heaven for attractions, and we absolutely identify that. The budgetary supports we have put in place for downstream businesses will also help with developing and supporting tourism activity providers in the region.
The opening of the new N22 Macroom and Baile Bhuirne bypass will make east-west tourism flow much more freely.
It means the thousands of tourists who disembark in Cobh and face west will be able to reach their destinations that much faster. Instead of getting to Killarney any faster, why would they not spend more time in the Lee Valley and places such as Macroom? Tourism products such as liners take some years to plan ahead. We really need to be getting a foothold in this tourism product and promoting the Lee Valley to the cohort of people coming off the liners. The bypass also means the Lee Valley is that much more accessible to Killarney-based tourists. There should be some way to promote and encourage this. Macroom is only 20 minutes from four of the biggest fishing rivers in the country - the Bandon, Lee, Ilen and Blackwater. There is real potential but some steps need to be taken ahead of time and we should be starting sooner on it.
Everything the Deputy said points to what we are trying to do in the sustainable tourism strategy, which is to get people into the regions where there will be so much to choose from that they will stay for longer. What is needed is connectivity and we are developing a national tourism strategy. Activities such as walking in the Lee Valley, water skiing and golf can be available so that when people arrive they will stay in the region. We need connectivity. Fáilte Ireland's website and Tourism Ireland initiatives are driving this. We need to look at directing domestic and international tourists into the regions. The Lee Valley is a perfect example of this. We will continue to engage with Fáilte Ireland on developing this strategy for such a wonderful tourism resource.
