asked the Minister for Transport and Power if his attention has been drawn to press reports of a statement made in England by Aire na Gaeltachta with regard to proposals for subsidised holiday travel to Ireland for Irish emigrants living in England; if he had consultations with the appropriate State bodies prior to this statement; and, if so, if he will give details of how the proposals will be implemented.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Subsidised Holiday Travel.
61.
My attention has been drawn to the newspaper reports referred to by the Deputy. Aire na Gaeltachta expressed a view on a topic which has been publicly discussed from time to time.
It is healthy that this question be publicly debated. However, no proposals have been formulated and the remainder of the question does not arise.
May I ask the Minister if this statement by the Minister for the Gaeltacht outside the country was made after prior consultation with him? Does the Minister think it is rather a strange procedure for the Minister of another Department to make a statement relating to his Department outside the country?
No. The Minister is quite free to express any views he has on tourism. I would always respect the views of the Minister for the Gaeltacht on tourism. Indeed I would be glad to listen to the views of any Deputy on tourism, which plays a very vital part in our economy, and if the Deputy or the Minister or anybody else has views I shall be glad to listen to them.
Was the Minister for the Gaeltacht speaking accurately when he spoke on behalf of the Government and said that the Government would be paying special attention to this important aspect of our tourism policy and that an announcement in the matter could be expected in the near future?
Certainly he was speaking accurately——
This question is addressed to the Minister for Transport and Power, not to the Minister for the Gaeltacht.
The Minister for Transport and Power is the Minister with the responsibility. May I ask the Minister if we can then expect an announcement on this matter in the near future?
The Deputy may expect announcements in the future and in the distant future regarding tourism because I consider it to be an extremely important part of the economy.
May I remind the Minister——
The Deputy must ask a question. He may not remind the House of anything.
The question relates to the subsidisation of air fares and might I ask the Minister if he had consultations, particularly with Aer Lingus, with a view to implementing the undertaking given here on behalf of the Government by Aire na Gaeltachta?
I think the Deputy is under a misapprehension. What the Minister for the Gaeltacht said was that he would like to see these brought in; he did not say it was Government policy to bring them in, which would be a completely different thing. Many people in the country would share the views of the Minister for the Gaeltacht but as yet there is no Government policy on it.
Would the Minister take it that the general impression created by the press reports in all three national dailies was that an announcement in that connection, that is, subsidised air fares for Irish emigrants from Britain, could be expected in the near future? Is that, or is it not an accurate assessment?
I do not think I can be held responsible for whatever general opinions are taken from speeches of Ministers either inside or outside the country.
I think we have sufficient supplementaries on this subject.
If I may quote——
We cannot have a debate on the subject. I have already allowed a number of supplementary questions on the matter. The Deputy has asked at least a half-dozen.
May I quote for the Minister what has been said?
Surely Deputy O'Kennedy knows that quotations are not in order at Question Time and does not have to be told that.
The Minister has questioned the authenticity of what has been said.
Could I ask the Minister does he know that on the occasion referred to in the question the Minister for the Gaeltacht was quoted as saying that he had, before making a statement, consulted with the Minister?
No, I do not know.
And we may take it, therefore, from the Minister's reply that that statement is not correct.
I had no discussion with the Minister for the Gaeltacht on anything so important. I understand from the Minister that he was misreported.
That is what I wanted the Minister to put on the record.