Edward Timmins
Ceist:320. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the plans being made to develop a US Presidents trail on the island of Ireland. [34985/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 1 July 2025
Ceisteanna (320)
Freagraí scríofa
My role and that of my Department in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national tourism policy development and in securing resources to assist the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, in implementing that policy.
Fáilte Ireland and Tourism NI have primary responsibility for product development on the ground and would be best placed to lead on the development of any new tourist initiative such as a proposed US Presidents Trail on the island of Ireland.
The All-Island Strategic Tourism Group (AISTG), established under the North South Ministerial Council in 2024, is co-chaired by senior officials from the Department and Northern Ireland’s Department for the Economy and includes the Chief Executives of the three tourism agencies - Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland.
The remit of the group includes identifying key areas for North/South coordination and cooperation and providing a strategic, policy-aligned approach to the development and delivery of all-island tourism initiatives.
The next meeting of the AISTG in the autumn will provide an opportunity for my Department officials to raise the proposal for consideration by this group.