asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he has made an assessment of the effect on the country's tourist earnings of the British seamen's strike; and how far such earnings will fail short of those originally estimated for this year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tourist Earnings.
2.
I am informed by Bord Fáilte that it is estimated that up to the end of the British shipping strike the loss to this country's tourist earnings by reason of the strike was between £1.5m. and £2m. It will not be possible, however, to evaluate the full extent of the loss for some time for the reasons that some people who had planned holidays here between July and September may have cancelled them whilst others who could not come here because of the strike may come later in the season.
Earnings from tourism of £85m. will be required this year to maintain the average increase which would achieve the industry's target for 1970 under the Second Programme for Economic Expansion.