Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 March 2026
615. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the value of trade and tourism respectively, between Ireland and the states visited by him and by Ministers of State in his Department for the St Patrick's Day engagements overseas this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21959/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, I travelled to Chicago this year, as part of the Government’s St Patrick’s Day Programme for 2026. Minister of State with special responsibility for Local Government and Planning John Cummins travelled to Scotland and the North of England.
Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan travelled to Kenya and Tanzania.
Minister of State with special responsibility for Older Persons, Kieran O’Donnell travelled to Wales. The St Patrick’s Day programme was an opportunity for us all to highlight Ireland’s place in the world as a small, open trading economy.
The total exports and imports in goods data by trading partner relevant to our St Patrick’s Day programme are shown in tables attached (Table 1) and (Table 2) supplied by the Central Statistics Office. The most recent month's data on External Trade in Goods figures are provisional and subject to revision.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) collects data on visits to Ireland by overseas residents in the Passenger Survey.
Using available data collected in the Passenger Survey, (Table 3) provides statistics on expenditure (excluding fares) by overnight foreign resident visitors broken down by region of residence of the visitor.
Exports and Imports of Services data from the CSO shows tourism and travel into Ireland from the UK was worth €1177 million in 2024. Tourism from Ireland was worth €2411 million to the United Kingdom in the same year. Similarly, tourism into Ireland from the US was worth €1874 million in 2024. Tourism from Ireland to the US was worth €1170 million. Detailed services data for Kenya and Tanzania was not published.
