Almost €6 million worth of funding for four tourism projects across Ireland has been announced today by Transport, Tourism and Sport Minister Leo Varadkar T.D. and Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring T.D. The Ministers announced the funding in the Book of Kells Exhibition Centre, Trinity College Dublin.
Minister Varadkar said the funding highlights the Government’s commitment to improving the quality of Irish tourist attractions so that Ireland can compete with the wide array of choice tourists are offered internationally. Such investment will help to sustain and create jobs in the tourism sector and get Ireland back to growth. The funding, from Fáilte Ireland's Tourism Capital Investment Programme, has been allocated to four projects across the country:
• Book of Kells, Trinity College - €2.7 million
• Garnish Island - €2.4 million
• Killarney Downhill Mountain Bike Trail - €430,353
• Lough Rynn Infrastructure - €212,250
The projects include a new setting for the Book of Kells in Trinity College, an international-standard mountain bike trail in Killarney, an interpretative centre for the gardens of Garnish Island in Cork, enhanced camping and activity facilities in Co. Leitrim.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Varadkar said: ‘These investments will help Ireland to continue competing with other holiday destinations around the world, by providing high-quality tourist attractions. The tourism sector will be a key driver of Ireland’s economic recovery and employs 180,000 people. We aim to protect those jobs and stimulate new ones by investing in tourism projects like these, in tandem with the tourism measures contained in the Jobs Initiative’.
Minister Ring said: ‘Each of these projects offer something unique for tourists, and all reflect the range of activities and attractions available in Ireland. Today’s holidaymakers have a bewildering choice of international destinations. So we must do all we can to ensure that Ireland is firmly on the international tourism map and a very desirable location to visit. Investing in high-quality projects like these is part of that effort’.
Over the last two years, Fáilte Ireland has already invested €60 million in 39 projects around the country. Explaining the need for such investment, Shaun Quinn CEO of Fáilte Ireland stressed: “Through our Tourism Capital Investment Programme, we are ensuring that the investment we make is in projects and areas that will bring the best results in terms of visitor interest and those that make the most economic sense. Such investment helps to sustain important tourism attractions and develop them to their full potential.”
Welcoming news of the funding, Trinity College Librarian, Robin Adams said: “I am delighted that the generous grant from the Failte Ireland Tourism Capital Investment Programme will enable us to provide greatly enhanced access and understanding for the many visitors to the Book of Kells and the Library’s other great treasures, and to ensure that the iconic Old Library can be shared with the public as well as functioning as one of the world’s great research libraries.”