There are more Donegal people in Dublin than Cork people. The Irish Tourist Association took a single ticket to Dublin and it has now been there for a great number of years. It is one of those vocational, voluntary organisations which ought to be encouraged. My only regret is that it is not mentioned more specifically in the Bill, even though the Minister has combined An Bord Fáilte and the Irish Tourist Association in forming the new publicity branch so to speak—An Fógra Fáilte.
We are aware that the Irish Tourist Association is not a statutory body but, at the same time, we must recognise that statutory bodies, such as corporations and county councils, are authorised to contribute to its finances, and that, over a number of years, it has had at its disposal the contributions, small though they may have been, of these bodies. There are advisory councils of the Irish Tourist Association throughout the country, and the incorporation of the Irish Tourist Association in the general organisation for the promotion of tourism will ensure that these voluntary organisations will still have a function in the particular areas where they have been formed. We have the idea of attracting tourists to this country by means of the work of the organisation which is to be set up under the Bill, but we must examine as well what we have to offer to these tourists when they come and how we are to provide, to the best advantage, for their reception in the country.
Much has been said about our ports and about their defects in the past, most of it true indeed, and about the delays in providing trains and transport for the big numbers of people coming off liners and ships at these entrances to our country. These are matters which will be grappled with and improved.
The condition of our main roads has not been critised very extensively, but there has been a great deal of criticism of the county roads and the by-roads, many of them leading, no doubt, as the Minister said in his opening remarks, to very historical places such as monuments and abbeys which recall the past and various aspects of our country's history to which we could direct the attention of our visitors. The improvement of the roads themselves and the putting up of better direction signs in the vicinity of monuments giving some little account of their background will help to attract the visitor and awake in him an interest in our history. Our national characteristics, our dignity, our native charm and all the other matters of which visitors speak are, in great measure, bound up with our national history.
Our trains have been criticised. I feel it can be said that our trains on the main lines, and certainly our buses, can compare favourably with those in any other land. It is true, of course, that there is room for improvement on our branch lines. Sufficient attention is not paid to time-tables on the branch lines, to amenities which would improve the trains or to the facilities which visitors would expect. However, our buses are splendid, and the organised tours have been spoken of very highly by visitors to this country. Our airports and our aircraft are not excelled anywhere. As far as the improvement of our transport goes, the nation has not been static, and much of a helpful nature has, undoubtedly, been done.
In connection with our national monuments, the improvement of our roads and so on, the Minister has mentioned co-operation between the local authorities and the new organisation. He mentioned the financial help which will be given. Many county councils have national monument committees and, undoubtedly, these are the bodies to which the Minister referred. I know of cases where the county council votes a small sum, perhaps a couple hundred pounds each year, for attention to some monument which may be falling or becoming derelict, with a view to preserving it for future generations. In removing the derelict buildings which should not be there, undoubtedly the public authorities can do much to improve the appearance of our countryside and to take away from it some of these undesirable dead walls that do no credit to our industry or to the appearance of our countryside. Our natural beauty and scenery are world famous. There need be very little reference to them here. The only thing is that the new board will sufficiently advertise it to make it more generally known to people abroad so that they may be attracted here. Our hotels also have been improved a great deal, and even though much remains to be done, Rome was not built in a year. If we set our minds to it and progress with the times we will not be doing too badly with all the difficulties confronting us.
During the visit of Mr. Christenberry and his party to this country I had the pleasure of accompanying him—as somebody else mentioned here, a while ago—I think it was Deputy Davin—to Blarney, and then to historic Gouganebarra and Glengariff. As has been said here to-day, having stopped and taken meals without any notice whatever at some of these hotels, these Americans were particularly attracted to the natural manner of the people in those hotels. They were families who have been for a number of years in that particular business and who have not changed to imitate any people in any other land but have preserved their own characteristics. They were particularly charmed with the hotels which they saw in that way, and undoubtedly the satisfaction that they had in those visits and travels will be of immense benefit to the country when they give their views, as they are now being given, for publication in other places.
Mention has been made here of America and of our friends in America. Some people have spoken disparagingly of them and, I think, quite unjustly. As one who had the advantage of spending, ten or 12 years ago, some months in America I can say that if the already existing county organisations there are properly contacted particularly in connection with their big functions around St. Patrick's Day and in celebration of other occasions applying to the various counties, great benefits would accrue to the homeland. Their interest in our native land is as keen as ever it was and however their attitude may be described here, they stand up for their own country and when they are abroad they are looked upon by other races in countries like America with the highest regard. At these functions they have the highest in the land with them irrespective of the race to which they belong. These many contacts will be most helpful to members of the Tourist Association and An Fógra Fáilte when they visit these lands and try to obtain their support for tourism in our country.
These Americans of whom I am speaking are interested in our history. Of the first four people I met in Philadelphia three, although they had never seen Ireland, spoke in Irish. Newspapers there had lessons in Irish for the Irish people, and that is something some of our own papers might with advantage copy. Some of these people, whose grandfathers had fought in the American Civil War around 1864, and who themselves have never seen Ireland, were crying out for more knowledge of Ireland to build up a greater knowledge for themselves and a greater love for the land of their forefathers. I remember on our return that time a former chairman of the Seanad, Seán Gibbons, was with me. On the way we met people who had never seen Ireland. They were going to Europe and the liner called to Galway. We had spoken so much of Ireland that a party went ashore with the consent of the customs officers. They hired four cars and travelled down through the country, visited Blarney on the way, and rejoined the liner at Cobh. It will be seen therefore what propaganda can do. If the Irish people are only Irish wherever they go, if they do not just copy and toady to those whom they meet, their own land will have some advantage from their contacts, and it will be to the general uplift of the nation.
There is very little more I can say except this. I am not at all happy about the licensing provisions of the Bill. Whatever licensing laws are in this country should be uniform, so that people with motor cars cannot leave one place and go to some other place that is open. All these licensed houses should open together and close down together, whatever the hours are. That is my view on the matter, and personally I am sorry there is any extension in the Bill by way of hours.
