COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF LUCAN / PALMERSTOWN / NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
QUESTION NO.6
QUESTION: Councillor S. Moynihan
To ask the Chief Executive for the number of applications for the Tourism Event Grant in 2023 in the two LEAs and the plans to actively promote it for 2024 adoption.
REPLY:
The Council’s Tourism Event and Festival Grant scheme makes funding available to businesses and community groups across South Dublin County to support key priority areas such as cultural, food, sports and activity-based tourism aimed at growing the visitor economy. The aim is to fund innovative events/festivals that will be supported by local businesses and community groups, and which add value to our tourism product.
In 2023 the Tourism Event and Festival Grant scheme supported the 62nd annual Liffey Descent. The Liffey Descent travels through Kildare and Dublin, with a main spectator area at Lucan Weir. Lucan Weir provides spectators with exciting views of the whitewater drops, while allowing for retail and hospitality offerings close by in Lucan village. The route also takes the participants through Palmerstown Weir on its way to its finishing point in Dublin City.
It is estimated that the potential local economic dividend of this event was €26,266.
The grant was due to support a separate water-based event in Palmerstown in November 2023 but the event organiser had to cancel this event for operational reasons. This event was at approval in principle stage at the time of cancellation.
The 2024 marketing strategy for the Tourism Event and Festival Grant (TEFG) scheme includes cross county bus shelter adverts, adverts in local print media, the issuing of a press release to media organisations announcing details of the scheme along with posts on the Dublin’s Outdoors website, Dublin’s Outdoors Social Media platforms, SDCC website and SDCC social media platforms. A new QR code has been developed for the grant scheme. This QR code will be included on all TEFG promotional material and will direct interested parties back to the TEFG information page on the SDCC website.
Details of the grant scheme will also highlighted at many of the events with pop up banners and leaflets highlighting the support provided by SDCC. The aim of this is to alert other potential event organisers to the availability of grant funding for similar events.
Successful applicants must also include Dublin’s Outdoors branding on all pre event promotional material, social media posts, posters, leaflets, websites etc. The County Promotion Unit will also engage with relevant event and facility stakeholders in order to promote the existence of the scheme.
The application process remains open throughout the year, and interested parties are encouraged to make an early application (at least 6 weeks prior to start of event). Details are on the Council’s website https://sdcc.ie/en/services/sport-and-recreation/tourism/tourism-events-and-festivals-grants/