COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, December 19, 2016

QUESTION NO. 2

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

"To ask the Chief Executive to outline his strategy to attract tourists to Tallaght in 2017; will he appreciate the importance of the issue and will he make a statement?"

REPLY:

"The Council has engaged a tourism marketing consultancy during 2016 and has been developing a full suite of marketing materials that will include a dedicated tourism website and social media pages, tourism videos, a logo and related brochures.  A range of marketing campaign options for 2017 are also currently being reviewed and the places to visit, stay, dine in Tallaght will feature in all of these materials with a clear positioning emerging for Tallaght as a base for events into the mountains, with combined infrastructure of hotels, transport and Tallaght Stadium.

The primary market positioning for South Dublin County will be based on the Outdoors and given the proposed Dublin Mountains Gateway Project and that the Dublin Mountains Way commences at Tallaght, there will undoubtedly be associated visitor numbers, economic benefits and opportunities for the Tallaght area.

Upon completion of the onoing Environmental Impact Assessment for the Dodder Greenway, that project should be developed over the period 2017 to 2020 connecting the City and Mountains and creating opportunities to connect Tallaght Village directly to the Dodder Greenway, via high quality walking and cyling links. This will further support awareness and activity along the Dublin Mountains Way which will intersect with the Dodder Greenway at Kiltipper.  In terms of developing a base or starting point for the Dublin Mountains Way, the Council through various schemes, has grant supported the development of a Cultural Centre at Tallaght Village which may become a suitable welcome point for the start of the Way in future.  

Significant investments have also been made over 2016-2017 in specific events such as the expansion of the Red Line Festival and the development of the first Gael Force Dublin event in February 2017 (the route for which starts and finishes at Tallaght Stadium and incorporates Bohernabreena Reservoir and the Dublin Mountains Way) and negotiations will continue for other potential events in the area.The proposed construction of a third stand at Tallaght Stadium providing increased capacity creates potential for additional matches and events with associated positive profile and economic activity for the Tallaght area.

Various other initiatives including the Shop Front Scheme, village improvement works including development of plazas and introduction of village signage will also all serve to improve the aesthetics of the area benefitting the promotion potential."