Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
Subscribe Today!
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Hoteliers from Louth and across Ireland gathered at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre for the Hotel Sustainability Conference
aul Carroll, Ghan House; Siobhan O’Neill, Fáilte Ireland; Tony Walker, Slieve Russell Hotel; John O’Neill, The Hamlet Court and James McKenna, Four Seasons Hotel Carlingford
Reporter:
Donard McCabe
21 Oct 2025 5:30 PM
Hoteliers from Louth were among over 200 hoteliers from across Ireland, gathered this week at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre for the Hotel Sustainability Conference, ‘Climate Action: Driving Competitiveness’ co-delivered by the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) and Fáilte Ireland.
Chaired by Matt Cooper, topics included global trends, changing consumer preferences, operational efficiency, cost reduction, decarbonisation and financing – all brought to life through tangible case studies from Irish hoteliers. The IHF says the conference is representative of its long-term commitment to sustainability in alignment with the tailored supports delivered through Fáilte Ireland’s Climate Action Programme.
Expert speakers and industry leaders illustrated how sustainability can drive innovation, boost efficiency and enhance competitiveness in the hotel sector. The speaker lineup included Craig Bennett, The Wildlife Trusts; Richard Burrett, Earth Capital; Declan Meally, SEAI; Colin Moran, SBCI; Colette Shirley, Bank of Ireland; Andres Fellenberg, EarthCheck; Liam Moran, FBD Hotels & Resorts; Dara Cruise, Neville Park Hotels; Tom Randles, Randles Hotels and Carmel Lonergan, Trigon Hotels.
In his opening address, IHF Chief Executive Paul Gallagher shared: “The enthusiasm in the room today is demonstrative of the growing appetite for sustainable evolution within the hotel sector. 87% of our members have indicated plans to invest in sustainability initiatives over the next year. Today we’re bringing together knowledge, intent and means, marking a pivotal moment in our sector’s journey towards a more sustainable future.”
Jenny De Saulles, Director of Sector Development, Fáilte Ireland said, “75% of global travellers plan to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months. This underlines that sustainability is no longer a future ambition, it’s a present-day business imperative that can provide a competitive advantage to businesses.
"Through our Climate Action Programme, Fáilte Ireland is supporting hotels and guesthouses to reduce emissions, improve efficiency and strengthen their commercial resilience. This conference is about equipping the sector with the insights and tools needed to make sustainability a core part of their business strategy."
IHF President Michael Magner commented, “As an industry we must rise to meet this challenge and act now by integrating sustainable practices across our operations to safeguard continued growth and success. It’s clear that hotels and guesthouses that embrace sustainability can gain a clear competitive advantage.
"In my own business I have witnessed the positive and lasting impact of environmental initiatives on guests, team members and the business.”
Launched in February 2024, the Climate Action Programme (CAP) is a strategic initiative by Fáilte Ireland to accelerate the tourism sector’s contribution to achieving Ireland’s national climate targets. The Programme supports tourism businesses to cut emissions, reduce costs, and strengthen competitiveness.
‘Climate Action: Driving Competitiveness’ is supported by Bank of Ireland.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
4
To continue reading this article, please subscribe and support local journalism!
Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles.
Subscribe
To continue reading this article for FREE, please kindly register and/or log in.
Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites. You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news!
Jennifer Mills and Áine McKeever, Dundalk Dog Rescue, n winners of the Best Presented Business Premises at the Louth in Bloom Awards. All Photos: Ken Finegan/Newspics Photography
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy a paper
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
