Michael Cahill
Question:471. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28431/26]
View answerTuesday, 21 April 2026
Questions (471)
Written answers
My Department recognises that tourism is a vital economic driver for South Kerry, supporting employment and enterprise across communities along the southern section of the Wild Atlantic Way, including the Dingle Peninsula, the Skellig Coast, and the wider Iveragh Peninsula and south-west seaboard. This region is a core component of Ireland’s visitor offering and plays a critical role in attracting overseas visitors, supporting dispersed tourism activity and sustaining rural communities.
In December 2025, my Department published the National Tourism Policy Statement, A New Era for Irish Tourism, which sets the strategic framework for tourism development to 2031. The policy supports sustainable, inclusive growth in regional and rural areas and places strong emphasis on competitiveness, skills, digitalisation, connectivity and the green transition. It sets ambitious targets to grow tourism revenue and employment nationally, with particular benefits for regions such as South Kerry that depend heavily on tourism activity.
Ireland’s four Regional Experience Brands are underpinned by five-year Destination and Experience Development Plans (DEDP), which support sustainable, regionally balanced tourism growth. In this context, a new DEDP for South Kerry is underway, building on the Skellig Coast Visitor Experience Development Plan and supporting key initiatives including the UNESCO Transatlantic Cable project, improved mobility on Valentia Island and expanded Dark Sky tourism areas.
Kerry continues to benefit from targeted Fáilte Ireland investment in tourism infrastructure, festivals and destination development. Recent projects include the opening of Bray Head Tower on Valentia Island following a €2.13 million investment, the first section of the South Kerry Greenway, and the development of a new water sports facility in Fenit. In addition, Samhain Chiarraí is supported under Fáilte Ireland’s pilot programme, receiving €100,000 annually for three years.
Further key commitments under the new Tourism Policy include sustained support for tourism SMEs, strengthening year-round tourism, and addressing accommodation and capacity constraints in popular destinations. The development of a Tourism Accommodation Strategy and a dedicated Culinary Tourism Strategy will support destination development in areas such as South Kerry, enhance the visitor experience and help spread tourism activity beyond the peak season.
Budget 2026 provides €71.4 million to the Overseas Tourism Marketing Fund, supporting Tourism Ireland’s market diversification approach. This investment will assist in driving demand for regional destinations such as South Kerry. A new Strategic Air Access Fund will also support access to the region, including through Kerry Airport, which is critical to sustaining overseas and domestic visitor numbers.
Recently, my Department published its Sectoral Capital Plan 2026–2030 under the National Development Plan. This commits €4.7 billion in capital investment over five years, including €400 million for tourism development and promotion, with €77 million allocated to overseas marketing and €200 million to tourism product development across all regions.
I remain committed to supporting a strong, sustainable tourism sector in Kerry and will continue working with State agencies and local stakeholders to achieve this.