Registration of hotels, guesthouses, holiday hostels, youth hostels, holiday camps, motor hotels, caravan and camping sites, approved holiday cottages and holiday apartments is a statutory requirement under the provisions of the Tourist Traffic Acts, 1939-1986. I have no plans to drop or ease this requirement as I remain convinced, after the Arthur D. Little Review of Bord Fáilte, that it serves to ensure a satisfactory standard in accommodation for the benefit of the visiting tourist.
If, however, the Deputy's question relates to approved accommodation such as bed and breakfast, approval by Bord Fáilte is not a requirement to operate in this sector. It does, of course, confer significant benefits in terms of promotion by Bord Fáilte and the regional tourism organisations at home and overseas and the opportunity to be included in tour operator's programmes. Such benefits should increase as a result of the increased focus on marketing within BFE as part of the organisation's current restructuring.
Under the new arrangements following the review of Bord Fáilte, the product approvals inspection function will, in future, be carried out by industry associations formally recognised for that purpose by BFE. I hope that this new industry involvement will, in itself, serve to encourage more accommodation providers to become part of the approved accommodation bank.