Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2026
918. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the engagement that has taken place with other Government Departments and State agencies to support hotels and the hospitality sector in rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28078/26]
View answerWithin my department’s Rural Development Investment Programme, there is a range of schemes providing capital funding with a focus on the economic and social development of our rural areas. These schemes do not, however, include a specific focus on the provision of hotel accommodation and the hospitality sector.
However, there are a limited number of projects which have been supported by the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme which have seen short stay accommodation or café facilities included as part of wider multi-functional projects.
Similarly, while the LEADER programme does not generally support hotel based projects, it has supported projects related to tourist accommodation and the hospitality sector, for example, through support for glamping projects and other tourism focused initiatives.
More widely, the sustainability of our rural businesses, including the tourism and hospitality sector, is clearly enhanced by the provision of public and community infrastructure. The funding made available by my Department, through the range of schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme is clearly having positive impacts in this regard.
At a cross governmental level, responsibility for business and enterprise supports and tourism resides with my colleague Peter Burke, as Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. This includes responsibility for the National Tourism Policy Statement, A New Era for Irish Tourism, which was published in December 2025 and which sets out the Government’s long-term approach to the development of Irish tourism.
I can confirm that, as part of my Department's ongoing work developing the successor policy to Our Rural Future, my officials have been engaging with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment in respect of its remit. This will include a focus on both rural tourism and rural enterprise generally. Work on the development of the policy is ongoing and has drawn on a wide ranging consultation process over recent months.
