Debate contribution: North/South Ministerial Council: Tourism

Debate contribution by Mr Conor Murphy on 2 July 2024.

MLA

Mr Conor Murphy

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

2 July 2024

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Ministerial Statements

Heading

North/South Ministerial Council: Tourism

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4528824

Read the official Assembly record

Text

With your permission, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle

, I wish to make a statement in compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on a meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in tourism sectoral format. The meeting was held in Armagh on 24 June 2024. Junior Minister Pam Cameron MLA accompanied me, representing the Northern Ireland Executive. The Irish Government were represented by Catherine Martin TD, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The statement has been agreed with junior Minister Cameron, and I make it on behalf of us both. The NSMC welcomed a progress report from the chair of Tourism Ireland on the board's work since the previous NSMC tourism meeting in November 2020. The Council acknowledged Tourism Ireland's achievements and the valuable contribution that it has made to the sector, including its role to support the recovery of tourism following the COVID-19 pandemic. Ministers also noted Tourism Ireland’s continued focus on embedding sustainability in its marketing activities. The NSMC noted that officials from both Administrations have conducted a review of the work programme for the NSMC tourism sector. Ministers noted the outcome of the review and agreed the addendum to the work programme for the tourism sector. The Council welcomed the joint ministerial statement supporting sustainable tourism and agreed the establishment of a joint strategic coordination group to identify and examine opportunities that will support the sustainable growth of the tourism sector across the island. The Council approved Tourism Ireland’s business plans, budgets and grants for 2022, 2023 and 2024 and Tourism Ireland’s 2023-25 corporate plan, which were completed in accordance with agreed guidance issued by the Department of Finance, the Department of Public Expenditure and NDP Delivery and Reform and were agreed by sponsor Departments and Finance Ministers. The NSMC noted Tourism Ireland’s annual reports and accounts for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, which have been certified by the Comptrollers and Auditors General and laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly and both Houses of the Oireachtas. Ministers agreed that the terms of reference for an organisational capacity review of Tourism Ireland will be considered. The Council approved an additional eight posts to Tourism Ireland’s staffing complement. The NSMC acknowledged the challenges faced in the tourism sector in addressing climate change and loss of biodiversity and noted the policy development and implementation in addressing those issues in each jurisdiction. The Council welcomed collaborative actions by the tourism agencies and future ambition for the tourism sector on the island. The NSMC received a presentation on the employer excellence programme by Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland on how the agencies are working together to make tourism an attractive career of choice while building a future pipeline of skilled employees. The Council agreed to hold its next NSMC tourism meeting in late 2024. I commend the statement to the Assembly and welcome any questions.

Yes, that was part of the discussion at the sectoral meeting. Minister Martin and the Southern Administration understand clearly the concerns that we have, the challenges that the ETA would present to travel across the island and the impact that it would have on Tourism Ireland, for which we share responsibility. That is my position. I wrote to the outgoing Administration in London on the matter, and it is my intention that the Executive as a whole will take a position and present it to the incoming Government in London at the earliest opportunity to ensure that we offset the plans that have been put in place for the scheme.

Everyone in the Chamber and in the tourism sector agrees that that would have a detrimental impact on our ability to grow tourism and ensure that it is spread across the island. It is something that we are determined to challenge.

The terms of reference have to be fully agreed by both Ministers. Where that perception exists, we need to make sure that it does not take hold and is addressed. We have set up the joint coordination group, which will involve the three agencies and both Departments working collectively. Tourism Ireland, in my experience, is very keen to promote all 32 counties of Ireland. I know that it makes great efforts to try to do that. However, if there is some sense on this side of the border that people are not getting the full promotion that they want, we can certainly make sure that that perception is corrected. When the review's terms of reference are agreed, we will set up our own tourism reference group, which will investigate whether there is anything to back up that perception. If that is the case, I am certainly happy to make sure that Tourism Ireland steps up in that regard.

We had hoped that that announcement would be made around this time, but there are still some minor issues to be resolved with one of the agencies. There is a Shared Island contribution for promoting the Wild Atlantic Way right across the north coast, including Derry and Antrim. That will provide some support and build up the capacity of tourism in those areas to take advantage of that brand, which has been extraordinarily successful in the promotion of tourism in Ireland. The funding has been agreed; we just want to get it announced and out there very quickly, and ensure that people can access it.

There is a general sense across all the tourism organisations that it is not good news. That is why we have made representations already to the Government in London, although we did not receive much by way of response. There have been discussions in the Executive, and there is a recognition across the Executive that the scheme is not good for tourism. It is certainly not good for our economic growth, given the potential that we have for economic growth through tourism. There will be a renewed focus on that in the coming weeks from the Executive. I hope to propose a position that will get support so that, collectively, we can bring that to the incoming British Government, rather than a position that comes from just the Department for the Economy. We intend to pursue that.

The Member hits on a point that is widely recognised and was part of the conversation. We received a presentation at the tourism sectoral meeting about efforts to try to promote tourism and hospitality as a career choice, rather than just something that people get into through part-time work before moving on to other areas or continuing their studies. I met Hospitality Ulster, and we launched promotional material that tries to attract people on the other side of 50 to work in the tourism sector. That is, potentially, good news for him and me if this thing goes pear-shaped. There is an opportunity for people of all ages to come into the tourism sector.

As regards our economic ambition of trying to get people who are economically inactive back into the workforce, tourism and hospitality always represents a sector that is easily accessible to people. They can go in on their own terms, pick up skills and progress. There is an emphasis on trying to give people an understanding that the tourism and hospitality sector is a good area for a career, not just for part-time work. Of course, we are trying to invest, and, later today, I will announce further investment in and support for skills to get people into work. The tourism and hospitality sector is an important element of that. We want to work closely with our colleges, universities and skills providers to make sure that people have the necessary support in trying to access work, particularly in tourism.

1,283 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:56 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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