Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
197. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the new steps Fáilte Ireland will take in 2026 to promote water sport tourism within Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72775/25]
View answerI recently launched the newly launched National Tourism Policy, A New Era for Irish Tourism, which reflects the Programme for Government and wider priorities, setting out a vision for sustainable, regionally balanced growth. A key feature of this policy is the commitment to develop a dedicated Marine Tourism Strategy, ensuring Ireland’s coastal and marine assets are fully integrated into national tourism planning. This strategy will focus on enhancing infrastructure, diversifying experiences, and promoting year-round activity, supporting local communities and businesses while aligning with climate and sustainability goals.
Currently, Fáilte Ireland’s Regional Tourism Development Strategies and Destination and Experience Development Plans (DEDPs) feature major initiatives to strengthen coastal tourism. The Cliff Coast DEDP, for example, focuses on North Kerry and West Clare, creating sustainable tourism through distinctive coastal experiences. The Dublin Coastal Trail is being expanded to include additional villages, enriching visitor engagement with maritime heritage. These projects aim to attract more visitors, encourage longer stays, and boost local economies while safeguarding Ireland’s natural coastal beauty. Similarly, the Cork City, Harbour and East Cork DEDP, launched in November 2024, provides a strategic framework for tourism growth in the region. It prioritises the development of a landmark visitor attraction in Cork City and improvements to harbour accessibility, creating a sustainable amenity that connects communities and enhances the visitor experience. In 2025, Fáilte Ireland, in collaboration with Cork County Council, hosted a series of public consultations on the Cork Harbour Tourism Strategy with the aim to gather feedback and help shape the future direction of the strategy.
In addition to the above, Fáilte Ireland’s marketing is focused on inspiring domestic consumers to take short breaks in Ireland. Fáilte Ireland target consumers living across the island of Ireland and our ultimate goal is to increase domestic tourism revenue by presenting a year-round tourism proposition and helping spread tourism more evenly across the country. Keep Discovering is the cornerstone of Fáilte Ireland’s consumer marketing strategy. The campaign reminds Irish and Northern Irish consumers that while they think they know Ireland, there is always something new to discover and encourages everyone to Keep Discovering. The campaign aims to both inspire visitors to choose Ireland first and foremost and then to provide compelling reasons for them to book now by showcasing world-class tourism regions and the many things to see and do in destinations right across the country. The campaign is always-on throughout the year but significantly up-weighted during the off-peak months to support season extension and year-round tourism in Ireland.
In April 2021, Fáilte Ireland announced plans to develop state-of-the-art facilities for outdoor water-based activities as part of its “Platforms for Growth 2” investment grant-aid scheme. There are 19 sites across the country that will benefit from this scheme. Each centre will provide hot showers, changing and toilet facilities, secure storage, induction spaces, equipment washdown and orientation points. Accessibility and sustainability will be key focus points for the projects, ensuring full wheelchair access and the installation of solar heating panels. In August 2025, the first Water Sports Facility opened in Curracloe, County Wexford. Other individual projects are advancing through the different development stages with a number expected to open in 2026 and 2027.
Opened June 2023, the National Surf Centre, Strandhill is a unique visitor experience, which was developed by Fáilte Ireland, the Department of Rural and Community Development and Sligo County Council. This is Ireland’s first purpose-built surfing facility and will see Strandhill emerge as a world-class surfing destination.
Furthermore, the Shannon Tourism Masterplan, a collaborative project led by Waterways Ireland with Fáilte Ireland and 10 Local Authorities along the River Shannon and Shannon-Erne Waterway aims to position the Shannon as a destination for international and domestic tourism, transforming the region into a key tourist destination amongst Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. The River Shannon, its lakes, and inland waterways form a core part of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands tourism offering. The Masterplan evaluates the strengths and challenges of this asset and proposes measures to develop a sustainable international destination that respects the environment and local communities. One key action is the “Feasibility Study on the Future Development and Greening of the Cruise Hire Sector” to more sustainable practices and enhancing visitor experiences along the Shannon Navigation and Shannon-Erne Waterway up to 2033. Fáilte Ireland unveiled the roadmap for this sector in October 2024, and initial actions are now underway, with further progress planned through 2026.
Finally, in September 2024, Fáilte Ireland and Waterways Ireland officially launched the redevelopment of Connaught Harbour in Portumna, marking a major milestone in the Shannon Tourism Masterplan. The project will significantly expand public mooring berths and introduce a canoe step to improve access to the Lough Derg Blueway. Plans also include new onshore amenities such as seating and picnic areas, a cycle and walking trail linking the harbour to the town and Blueway, additional parking, and landscaping enhancements to create a strong sense of arrival. This redevelopment will strengthen the boating and cruise hire sector in the region while improving visitor facilities and connectivity. The investment also includes 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; additional parking facilities including EV chargers, and improves the visual impact of the harbour, creating a sense of arrival in the town.
