asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state if he has received representations from hoteliers, local Tóstal committees and others as to the period of the year at which An Tóstal should be held; and, if so, whether he has considered such representations and is in a position to make a statement.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - An Tóstal.
I have received no direct representations on the subject. I understand, however, that representations have been made to An Bord Fáilte by some local Tóstal councils and other interested parties concerning the decision to hold An Tóstal at Easter 1954 and urging that it should be held at a later date.
One of the main objects of An Tóstal is to stimulate increased tourist traffic particularly from the UnitedStates during the period when, as a rule, demand for hotel accommodation is relatively slack. When the idea of An Tóstal was first mooted it was suggested to me by American experts on tourist development that to ensure its success the event should be centred around St. Patrick's Day on the grounds that Irish-Americans would wish to visit Ireland for a festival held at that time. As, however, St. Patrick's Day falls in Lent, I told An Bord Fáilte that if they felt that it would be better that An Tóstal should commence at Easter I would concur in their decision. The board eventually decided that An Tóstal, 1953, should commence on Easter Sunday.
In February of this year An Bord Fáilte informed me that they were anxious that a date for An Tóstal, 1954, should be fixed immediately in order that advance preparations might be put in hand. The board stated that a number of organisations had already approached them in the matter and they suggested to me that An Tóstal, 1954, should commence on Easter Sunday, 18th April, 1954, and continue for the ensuing three weeks. I approved the board's suggestion.
Arrangements for holding An Tóstal at Easter time 1954 have already been put in hands. The question as to the date for An Tóstal in the years after 1954 can be fully considered in the light of the experience in 1954. I shall of course be guided by An Bord Fáilte in the matter, but it is my personal view that, while there are obvious advantages to be gained by commencing An Tóstal on a day which has universal significance, this factor will diminish in importance as An Tóstal becomes more widely known and firmly established.
Is the Minister aware that there is a widespread feeling that by having it so early in the year it has not been possible to stretch the holiday period in the way it was hoped to stretch it? I think the original intention was that the summer holiday period should be stretched by one month or so. Would not the Minister consider that by holding it so early inthe year we merely come in on the Easter holiday period instead of stretching the summer holiday period?
Easter, 1954, will be two weeks later than it was this year. A number of factors were taken into account. I have mentioned that of having the festival associated with a holiday that is well known throughout the world. There is also the prospect that at that period reduced shipping fares and other similar advantages may be secured that may not be possible later. My own view is that, while there were advantages to be gained by linking An Tóstal with a day which has universal significance, this factor will become less important as the festival becomes more widely known.
Is the Minister aware that the weather is a very important factor and that an Irish April is certainly not very attractive, especially to American visitors?
On the other hand, we can wish for a fine April. We do not always wish for a fine May. There is a tradition that if May is not fine the rest of the year is good.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the total direct and incidental expenditure incurred in connection with An Tóstal by (a) An Bord Fáilte, (b) Fógra Fáilte, (c) the Irish Tourist Association, (d) each Government Department, (e) other Government agencies and (f) local public authorities.
The total expenditure incurred in connection with An Tóstal, 1953, by An Bord Fáilte was £30,000; by Fógra Fáilte, £47,000; by the Irish Tourist Association, £75, and by the Office of Public Works, £2,650. The Department of Defence also incurred expenditure, details of which will not be available for some time.
I have no information about expenditure which may have been incurred by other Government agencies or by local public authorities.
Would the Minister state whether the figures he mentionedin regard to expenditure include floodlighting, decorations, and so on?
I think the Office of Public Works expenditure covers all that.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he has taken any steps to ascertain (a) the number of foreign visitors who visited Ireland during the An Tóstal period, (b) the average duration of the stay of such visitors and (c) the countries of origin of such visitors.
Statistics of tourist traffic are not available for the actual period of An Tóstal, i.e., 5th to 26th April, 1953. During the month of April, 1953, however, the total number of visitors from abroad was 48,448. In addition, there were 89,819 visitors from the Six Counties.
The official statistics do not enable me to give the rest of the information sought by the Deputy.
Can comparative figures for previous years be given? There is always an influx of visitors at Easter.
It would be possible to give comparative figures for previous years.
That would be one way of ascertaining what the result of the campaign was.
As I indicated, the view of An Bord Fáilte is that it would be unfair to judge the utility of An Tóstal by the actual number of visitors attracted during the first year. This must be regarded as a long-term programme that will build up year after year.
I fully appreciate what the Minister has said and that this was an experiment but it would be just as well if we knew what the position was this year.