Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2026
56. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his plans to encourage much-needed private investment into the serviced tourism accommodation sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12773/26]
View answer79. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether he plans to introduce any measures or supports to increase the viability of construction of hotels in rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13327/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 79 together.
This Government recognises the central importance of tourism to Ireland’s economy and to the vitality of communities across the country. A strong, sustainable and regionally balanced accommodation base is fundamental to that success. Accommodation not only underpins the visitor experience and perceptions of value for money, but also strengthens the competitiveness of the wider tourism ecosystem and enables businesses of all sizes to grow and thrive.
Reliable, comprehensive data is essential to effective policy development and long-term planning. Fáilte Ireland maintains accommodation registers under the Tourist Traffic Acts and through the National Quality Assurance Framework (NQAF), providing an established evidence base for the sector. Currently, 225,577 tourism bedspaces are recorded across these registers, reflecting the scale of the industry and providing a solid platform for strategic development.
To further strengthen the data landscape, a statutory register for all Short-Term Letting (STL) accommodation will be introduced this summer. This measure will significantly enhance transparency and visibility across the full accommodation spectrum, ensuring a more complete and robust dataset to inform tourism policy and investment decisions.
In parallel, Fáilte Ireland has developed a Tourism Accommodation Capacity and Pipeline Monitor. This strategic tool tracks existing capacity and monitors developments as they progress through planning, construction and opening phases. It enables early identification of supply constraints, provides insights into regional and sectoral trends, and supports evidence based decision making by policymakers and industry stakeholders.
The forthcoming Tourism Accommodation Strategy, a key commitment under A New Era for Irish Tourism, will establish a clear framework to strengthen, diversify and expand Ireland’s accommodation offering. Particular emphasis will be placed on unlocking development in areas with significant untapped tourism potential, supporting balanced regional growth and delivering sustainable, year-round economic benefits nationwide.
Drawing on enhanced statutory data, the new STL register and the capacity and pipeline monitor, the Strategy will take an integrated, data-driven approach to long-term accommodation planning.
This will ensure that Ireland’s tourism infrastructure evolves in line with changing consumer preferences and global travel trends, safeguarding the resilience and competitiveness of the sector into the future.
