209. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of bed nights available in each county, in tabular form. [66309/26]

The current data landscape in relation to tourism accommodation is comprehensive but evolving. Fáilte Ireland maintains statutory accommodation registers under the Tourist Traffic Acts and through the National Quality Assurance Framework (NQAF), providing an established evidence base for the sector.

To further strengthen the tourist accommodation data framework this year, a statutory register for all Short-Term Letting (STL) accommodation will be introduced in December following the introduction of necessary legislation. The introduction of the register will provide, for the first time, a comprehensive and authoritative picture of the STL market and the number of properties operating in the sector. Once operational, the register will serve as the primary source of STL data helping to identify accommodation capacity trends and supporting more informed decision making to address emerging pressures in key tourism regions.

To support the sustainable growth of the tourist accommodation sector, Fáilte Ireland has developed a Capacity and Pipeline Monitor to track movement in tourism accommodation capacity. This strategic tool tracks existing capacity and monitors development projects as they progress through the planning, construction and delivery stages. The monitor supports early identification of potential supply pressures, provides insight into regional and sectoral trends, and supports evidence-based decision-making by policymakers and industry stakeholders. Findings are published twice yearly through Fáilte Ireland’s Tourist Accommodation Outlook report, helping to inform policy responses and investment decisions aimed at ensuring sufficient accommodation capacity to meet future tourism demand.

The forthcoming Tourist Accommodation Strategy, a key commitment under A New Era for Irish Tourism, will provide a clear framework to ensure that Ireland continues to offer a competitive, high-quality tourism experience. This Strategy will establish a clear framework to strengthen, diversify, and expand Ireland’s accommodation offering. As part of the preparation of the Strategy, I launched a public consultation in April that invited views from members of the public, stakeholders, and all interested parties. My officials are currently finalising two reports providing a comprehensive overview of the views expressed during the consultation process and which will be published on my Department’s website shortly. The insights gathered in these reports will contribute to the evidence base underpinning the development of the Tourist Accommodation Strategy to help ensure Ireland has sufficient, diverse and dispersed, high-quality accommodation to best meet future demand.

Insights drawn from the capacity and pipeline monitor, the existing registers, and the new STL register will collectively inform the Strategy and guide long-term accommodation planning. This integrated, data-driven approach will ensure that Ireland’s tourism infrastructure evolves in line with changing consumer preferences and global travel trends.

Fáilte Ireland currently reports 229,127 tourism bedspaces recorded across its registers, reflecting the scale of the sector and providing a strong foundation for future strategic development.

The table below sets out the number of units and bedplaces available in each county.

The figure excludes campuses and marinas to ensure uniformity in the reporting of statistics.