Peter Burke said around 230,000 people are employed in the tourism sector (Bairbre Holmes/PA)An investment announced on Wednesday will herald a “new era” for the tourism sector, a minister has said. Minister for Tourism Peter Burke unveiled a €4.7 billion “war chest” which is due to be invested in Ireland’s enterprise sector over the next five years as part of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment’s capital plan for 2026 to 2030. He said about €400 million would be allocated to the tourism sector which would be used to fund a number of measures to boost the industry. Mr Burke also said there would be a focus on developing skills “to ensure that there are significant career pathways in our tourism sector”. The minister said around 230,000 people are employed in the tourism sector, with about 46,000 small and medium-sized businesses involved in the industry.

Source: Irish Independent January 08, 2026 15:29 UTC