asked the Minister for the Environment if he has any plans to provide for a greater role for local authorities in tourism development; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tourism Development.
9.
Local authorities have a primary role in relation to the environment generally which is of crucial importance in relation to tourism development. My Department have drawn the attention of the local authorities to various specific measures of relevance to them, including litter prevention, water pollution control, cleaning of beaches, as well as the need for proper maintenance of facilities such as car parks, public toilets, signposting and landscaping. In addition, local authorities carry out long-standing programmes for the development of local amenities and the improvement of leisure and tourist facilities. Proposals for the reorganisation of local government which are under consideration at present include wide new powers for local authorities to undertake, on their own initiative or in combination with other interests, measures for environmental improvement and the provision of facilities and amenities and will also provide a new legislative framework which will allow local authorities to play a role in relation to the overall development of their areas.
Did I hear the Minister say that future reform of local government policy will provide for the involvement of local authorities in the promotion of tourism? I am well aware of the involvement of local authorities in environmental matters, pollution and so on. By reason of the very substantial public funding available for tourism and the fact that some regional bodies do not have contact with areas where there is such potential, would the Minister confirm that he will introduce some measure in order to give local authorities more say statutorily in the matter of the development of the tourism potential of their areas?
Local authorities have a very important role to play in the development of the tourism potential of their areas and have always taken that seriously. The Deputy might remember that I spent 21 years as a member of a local authority with a huge coastline, a high amenity area. I might tell the Deputy that that local authority were not merely involved with the special committees dealing with tourism but regarded it as an essential part of their activities. I would be taken aback if I thought that any local authority with representatives in this House were not taking that up as a serious challenge because the potential for tourist development is agreed by all. A local authority is the premier authority in the area and can do an enormous amount in helping to provide the necessary facilities which render tourism really worth while. I do not get the gist of the point except that I am fully in support of local authorities being involved in a very critical way in the development of tourism.
Would the Minister agree that there is a tendency on the part of the Department of Tourism and now on the part of the Department of the Environment and the Minister present to contend that there are regional bodies dealing with tourism while failing to recognise that such bodies have plans for the regions that are already——
May I have a pertinent question, please, Deputy?
Whereas my experience has been——
Deputy Sherlock, you are not posing questions at all. I am calling Deputy Stagg.
Arising out of the Minister's reply in which he outlined various activities that should be undertaken by local authorities, such as litter prevention, the provision of car parks, public toilet and other amenities, in view of the fact that the Government have cut the moneys available to local authorities to undertake such tasks how then does he expect them to carry out such duties?
Apply for national lottery funds.
I accept that there has been a reduction in the rates support grant that has been made available to local authorities. I am saying that local authorities, just as every other authority in the country, have had to take their share of cuts in the pursuit of national recovery. We have had extraordinary good results from one initiative taken by local authorities, in co-operation with the agricultural sector and the Department over the past year, that was in relation to the whole question of the fish kills drama we had last year which has been counteracted. That has been achieved with the co-operation of farmers, local authorities who gave the lead in the surveys and enforcement of existing legislation. That is an indication of what local authorities can do, particularly now when they are involved in the drawing up of recommendations for the regional plans under their advisory committees that will form part of the national plan, going forward to benefit from the new structural funds.
They are being drawn by officials in the Department of Finance. The Minister knows nothing about it.
If those plans do not include an element of tourism then there is something awfully wrong.