The introduction of a visitor accommodation levy was proposed in Capital City, the report of the Dublin City Taskforce published in October 2024, specifically for Dublin City, as part of the funding mechanism to support the implementation of actions in the Report.
The Programme for Government commits to implementing the Dublin City Taskforce recommendations and to apply the taskforce model to other cities, towns and regions in need of revitalisation.
The introduction of a levy needs careful consideration, given the importance of inbound international tourism to Ireland's economy, regionally and nationally. Any visitor accommodation levy would have to take account of many issues, including who will be liable to pay it; for example, whether its application would be limited to international visitors or extended to all visitors, including domestic visitors and how the levy would be collected.
The sustainability, geographic scope and revenue potential of such a measure are also issues for consideration and to date, a proposal for an accommodation levy in Dublin or other locations in Ireland has not been finalised or agreed. If such a proposal is agreed, it will be presented to Government for consideration and if approved by Government, actions including a stakeholder engagement campaign would be required in advance of any implementation.
With regard to tourism footfall in Galway, Fáilte Ireland, in collaboration with the Local Authorities and other tourism stakeholders are actively engaged in on-going tourism promotion. County Galway is included in the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands Regional Tourism Development Strategies 2023–2027 with Galway City and the west coastline part of the Wild Atlantic Way, while East Galway is firmly positioned within the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand.
The Galway City Destination Experience Development Plan(DEDP) launched in October 2025 and the implementation group, ‘Galway City Tourism Forum’, is leading the implementation of the actions outlined in the plan. The East Galway DEDP also commenced last year, with the first working group meeting held in November. The development process will continue throughout 2026, and it is anticipated that a draft plan will be completed later in the year.
Fáilte Ireland is also working closely with Galway County Council and local tourism businesses to develop a more connected network of visitor experiences in East Galway. A tourism highlights map is currently in development and is scheduled to be launched ahead of the 2026 holiday season. Fáilte Ireland is supporting tourism development in East Galway through initiatives such as the East Galway Tourism Networking Event. The first of these events was held in 2025, with 40 local tourism businesses in attendance. Delivered in partnership with Galway County Council, the event provided an important platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and networking across the region and building on its success, plans are in place to host a further networking event later this year. In addition, Fáilte Ireland with Costa Gaelach Connamara last month co-hosted a special networking event for the tourism industry at the Wildlands centre in Moycullen, and it was attended by over 120 tourism businesses.
As part of an ongoing commitment to festival development nationwide, I recently confirmed €623,250 in funding to 31 local authorities under the 2026 Regional Festivals Fund (www.failteireland.ie/Utility/News-Library/Minister-for-Enterprise,-Tourism-and-Employment-Pe.aspx) which will support approximately 250 festivals across the country including in County Galway. That announcement also included the introduction of a new, dedicated 2026 Food Festival Fund, with funding of €310,000, designed to strengthen food festivals and support Ireland’s evolving culinary tourism offering.
Galway City is one of seven destinations taking part in the Fáilte Ireland Home of Halloween Destination Development Scheme. This pilot initiative, launched last year, is a key action under the Ireland, Home of Halloween strategy and aims to position Ireland as the authentic global home of Halloween. Each destination will receive up to €100,000 annually over a three-year period to develop immersive Halloween-themed festivals rooted in local heritage, folklore, and community spirit. Over the course of the three years, the seven supported projects are projected to attract approximately 337,000 additional visitors, generating an estimated €28 million in economic impact for local communities in the off-peak season.
Finally, Fáilte Ireland’s new domestic campaign, Find Yourself on a Short Break, designed to increase demand for short breaks in Ireland and support more balanced, year-round tourism was launched last month. The campaign will be delivered throughout the year, highlighting the range of experiences around the country, including in Galway, that support the restorative power of a short break.
