Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2022
9. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of projects in County Mayo under Fáilte Ireland’s platforms for growth capital investment programme. [32444/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvestment in tourism infrastructure is essential in enhancing the quality of place that visitors experience during their stay. Fáilte Ireland's platforms for growth scheme is an important investment programme to support this objective. I would appreciate an update on capital projects under this scheme for County Mayo.
Platforms for growth is Fáilte Ireland's strategic, platform-based approach to large-scale capital investment in tourism product and it targets investment in line with specific platforms or project types that have been identified as a priority for tourists on the basis of research.
Under Fáilte Ireland's first platforms for growth investment scheme for immersive, heritage and cultural attractions, Westport House and Gardens was successful in an extremely competitive process. It was awarded an investment grant of €20.2 million in 2021 as part of a €36.1 million project to transform Westport House and Gardens into a world-class tourist attraction to enhance regional dispersal of visitors and extend the tourism season beyond the traditional summer months. The proposed restoration, reimagining and rewilding at Westport House and Gardens estate will offer visitors a multilayered, multi-day experience. A key element is the wild realms project, which will allow visitors to connect with nature and explore ancient Irish rituals and our ancestors' connections to the land, as told through a series of accessible wild and natural spaces.
In 2021 also, the second platforms for growth scheme was announced. This investment scheme, developed in partnership between Fáilte Ireland and local authorities, will support the local economy and the outdoor activity sector by significantly enhancing the overall visitor experience, providing new business opportunities in local communities. This funding is to be used to develop world-class facilities at 22 locations across the country where water-based activities are a key visitor attraction, including Achill Island and Louisburgh in County Mayo. These facilities, designed to serve as a hub in each locality from which multiple water-sports operators can base themselves, will provide hot showers, changing and toilet facilities, secure storage, induction spaces, equipment wash-down and orientation points.
I thank the Minister very much. County Mayo has benefited from both rounds of the platforms for growth investment. Westport House is an amazing facility and received a huge investment last year. I was delighted to see two Mayo locations also selected for facilities for water sports at Keel Sandybanks in Achill and Carrowmore beach in Louisburgh. They are fantastic destinations. County Mayo boasts a large number of beaches awarded blue flag and green coast status. In recent times, these have been important amenities for surfing, kite surfing, swimming, paddle boarding and kayaking so it is important that we have this type of investment. We want to ensure we can strengthen our appeal as a county with stronger outdoor water-based activities and facilities.
I was somewhat disappointed that we are not further along with the development and implementation of the investment scheme. As the Minister outlined, both projects are still at the planning process, with construction not due to commence on both facilities until later this year. I would like to see better project management around these projects. It has taken approximately two years to deliver them so any steps we can take to expedite them would be important.
We must also take into consideration the two years we have had with the pandemic. As I said, the €20.2 million in Westport House was Fáilte Ireland's largest investment ever in a singular tourism product. Funding was also awarded to Mayo County Council to develop the two state-of-the-art facilities to which I referred. Mayo County Council was also a successful applicant for the outdoor dining enhancement scheme, with Claremorris and Castlebar receiving funds. The Clew Bay destination experience development plan, which was launched on 19 November 2021, sets out an ambitious vision for the region over the next three to five years. That was developed over a period of three years with robust consultation. We have to take into consideration the two years we had but there is no doubt that County Mayo is being developed. There is ambition for this beautiful part of the country, and rightly so.
Amenities like these benefit not only visitors but also the local community. These projects will create further opportunities for participants and providers in the tourism business industry, including water-based activities. They will ensure there are local jobs and employment and businesses will thrive as a result. I have one question on Fáilte Ireland's intention to run a second round of this scheme with regard to activity centres. When is that expected to open? I would appreciate a response to that.
Fáilte Ireland indicated at the time that it would consider a second round but the current focus is on delivering the first round. A second round has not been ruled out, however.
At a regional local level, Fáilte Ireland develops, supports and promotes tourism in line with the relevant tourism experience brands. To guide medium to long-term development, Fáilte Ireland aims to deliver four new regional tourism strategies in 2022, which will set out a ten-year vision and a five-year action plan for each region. At a more local level, the four regional tourism strategies will be activated through a series of co-ordinated local destination and experience development plans developed by Fáilte Ireland in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders. I can get the Deputy further information on a second scheme.
