IRELAND TOURISM ADMINISTRATIVE AND TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION

The Tourism Division forms part of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and advises Government on national tourism policy. It provides the strategic direction required to support the growth of a competitive and sustainable tourism industry, through the development, implementation and influencing of a range of policy actions and programmes by the Department, its Agencies and other Government Departments, in consultation with industry partners. The tourism agencies, operating under the aegis of the Department, have been established to deal with the administration of that policy.

Fáilte Ireland was established under the National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003, following the amalgamation of Bord Fáilte Éireann and CERT, to encourage, promote and support tourism as a leading indigenous component of the Irish economy. Its principal functions are the development of quality tourism product, domestic tourism marketing, tourism standards, enterprise support, capability building and human resource development for the tourism industry.

Tourism Ireland was formally incorporated on 11 December 2000, following the designation of tourism as an area for cooperation under the Good Friday Agreement (1998), to carry out the promotion of tourism to the island of Ireland. Tourism Ireland is accountable to the North South Ministerial Council, with funding being provided by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland and by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in Ireland. Its primary remit is to promote the island of Ireland as a tourist destination in overseas markets.

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport engages with other Government Departments in relation to issues which have an impact on tourism and is represented on relevant interdepartmental committees. The Department also consults widely and maintains a close working relationship with the tourist industry and other key stakeholders regarding the formulation and implementation of tourism policy and related strategies and programmes.

From time to time, the Department establishes cross-cutting working groups to consider specific issues of relevance to tourism but also to other areas by bringing together all relevant stakeholders. In 2014, the Department published a new Tourism policy statement to provide the necessary direction to support a competitive and sustainable tourism industry and give clear direction to the tourism agencies for carrying out their operational programmes.

Local Tourism Bodies outside of the main State Organisation also play an important role in tourism promotion. Local Authorities and "Local Action Groups" have involvement in Tourism promotion at a local level. Local Action Groups use public funding (including funding under the EU Rural Development Programme) to implement multi-sectoral business plans for the development of their own areas. Although priorities vary from area to area, all Local Action Groups have a tourism element in their business plan and other non-tourism actions may also have an impact on tourism.