Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 December 2023
54. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide a specific response to each of the 15 recommendations made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media in its report on developing rural tourism in Ireland. [53619/23]
View answerThis question asks for a specific response from the Minister in regard to the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media in its report on developing rural tourism in Ireland.
The Oireachtas joint committee report on developing rural tourism was published on 16 November 2023. The report covers a wide range of sectors, with responsibility for some of the issues highlighted resting with my colleagues in other Departments. On my own Department’s responsibilities, the report includes recommendations relating to tourism, film, culture and the Gaeltacht. My officials are currently examining this recently-received report and I look forward to giving a comprehensive response on each of the recommendations in due course.
I have asked Fáilte Ireland in particular to examine the recommendations in the report. I am pleased to note that work is already taking place on a number of the areas highlighted. For instance, with regard to the recommendation that my Department should consider ring-fencing funding for tourism businesses to develop their digital infrastructure, including digital skills for the workforce, Fáilte Ireland has already established “Digital that Delivers”, a ground-breaking initiative designed to power a digital transformation of the visitor experience sector. Another recommendation made is that my Department engages with relevant stakeholders to expedite the development of walkways, greenways, cycleways and blueways across all counties. While Failte Ireland does not lead on these particular projects, the agency has been a significant stakeholder since their inception and continues to contribute to their development.
The recommendations in the report will also be fully taken into consideration in the context of the new national tourism policy framework which is currently under development. The new policy framework will seek to mainstream environmental, economic and societal sustainability across the entire tourism sector. The new framework will shape how our tourism industry develops in the period to 2030. In this regard, while I want to see the sector grow, I want it to do so in a manner that is consistent with our broader sustainability targets and, ultimately, ensures that Ireland will be a brand leader in sustainable tourism practices.
I will shortly launch a public consultation on the new framework. This will primarily be based on the guiding principles of the report of the sustainable tourism working group but will also provide an opportunity for the public to provide any other views on what should be included in the new policy framework. I hope to have it finalised in the first quarter of next year.
It is a comprehensive report with a specific 15 recommendations that were highlighted. The Minister has addressed some of them but there are others which fall directly into the Minister’s bailiwick, such as identifying rural traditions that could be added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. In particular, the Minister could put that out to public consultation and encourage people to feed into it so we would have more of our traditions, in particular rural traditions, on the UNESCO list of cultural heritage. The other recommendation is the proposal for national treasures in our cultural institutions to tour rural areas. I know that would be very welcome in areas that have institutions, halls or specific venues that are ideal for such tours. The arts and culture committee had a discussion a number of years ago with local museums but it has not progressed since.
With regard to recommendation No. 4, I consider submissions from the national cultural institutions, NCIs, annually as part of the Estimates process. The committee's recommendation will be considered in the context of future budget Estimates processes. In the interim, the Deputy will be aware that my Department runs an annual mobility of collections scheme for the dissemination of national collections to regional museums and to support greater regional and local access to material held in the national collections. The scheme is designed to fund the cost of transport, insurance and exhibiting for pieces from the national collections to appropriate institutions around the country.
With regard to recommendation No. 3 concerning the UNESCO heritage list, under processes currently in place, it is open to any stakeholders to submit an expression of interest for the national inventory of intangible cultural heritage. Existing arrangements provide for an open, transparent and fair application and decision process. I have no plans at present to review these arrangements.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as na freagraí sin, ach go háirithe an ceann maidir le moladh uimh. 4. Bhí a fhios agam go raibh roinnt bogtha ann ach ní tharlaíonn sé chomh minic agus chomh leathan is gur chóir.
Baineann moladh uimh. 12, straitéis turasóireachta don Ghaeltacht, le bheith ag freastal ar an éileamh atá ann do thurasóireacht teangabhunaithe, mar atá ar bun ag músaeim teanga agus litríochta i dtíortha eile agus sna cultúrlainne ó Thuaidh, agus ag déanamh ceiliúradh mar is cóir ar ár gcultúr agus ar ár dteanga náisiúnta. Cad atá an tAire chun a dhéanamh chun cuidiú leis an turasóireacht sin agus chun a dhéanamh cinnte de go mbeidh sé mar chuid den straitéis turasóireachta? Má táimid chun a bheith ag mealladh daoine isteach sa tír, caithimid déanamh cinnte de go bhfuil na háiseanna agus na tacaíochtaí ar fáil do lucht agus do cheantair na Gaeltachta chun déanamh cinnte go bhfuil siad in ann freastal ar an éileamh atá ann agus go bhfuil na hionaid ann chun déileáil leis mar músaem teanga nó litríochta nó a leithéid.
Tá Údarás na Gaeltachta ag obair go dlúth le Fáilte Éireann, le heagrais forbartha pobail, agus leis an earnáil phríobháideach sa Ghaeltacht chun áiseanna turasóireachta agus ábhair spéise do thurasóirí a chur ar fáil ar fad na Gaeltachta.
Maidir le turasóireacht, is í an fhís atá ag Údarás na Gaeltachta ná fiontraithe, gnóthaí pobalbhunaithe agus na heagrais Stáit a chumasú agus a spreagadh chun táirgí, seirbhísí agus eispéiris turasóireachta a fhorbairt chun freastal ar chuairteoirí agus ar fhiontar idirnáisiúnta. Oibríonn Údarás na Gaeltachta le Fáilte Éireann chun tacú leis ina ról an Ghaeltacht a chur in aithne do dhaoine atá ag gabháil timpeall na tíre. Déanann an t-údarás cumasú freisin ar ghnóthaí turasóireachta a gcuid gnóthaí a chur os comhair an phobail trí tacaíochtaí ar nós na scéim deontais trádáil ar líne. Ina theannta sin tá an údarás ag díriú ar thograí agus ar tháirgí turasóireachta d’ardchaighdeán a fhorbairt le go mbeadh ábhair Ghaeltachta bunaithe ag Fáilte Éireann agus ag Tourism Ireland le bronnadh ar an margadh.
