asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport whether he has carried out any assessment of the loss to the tourist industry in the Cork/Kerry region consequent on the failure to continue the Cork/Swansea ferry; whether he proposes any measures to minimise that loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork-Kerry Tourism.
16.
An assessment of the tourism performance of the Cork-Kerry region since the cessation of the Cork-Swansea ferry service in January last will not be possible until a comparable regional breakdown of tourist numbers and revenue for the 1988 and 1989 seasons becomes available.
The ferry company had planned to recommence operations at Easter and pre-booked traffic has generally been accommodated on other ferries.
Bord Fáilte's overall target for 1989 is for an increase of 16 per cent in overseas visitor numbers. The board are confident that existing access transport capacity is sufficient to meet this target and that Cork-Kerry will maintain its position as one of our prime tourist areas.
The Minister says that Bord Fáilte have targeted increases this year, but the national plan published a fortnight ago says that it is intended to double the number of tourists in the south-west region by 1993. Can the Minister say whether that doubling of those figures includes the provision of a ferry?
No, it does not necessarily deal with ferries. The objective is that there will be a doubling of tourist numbers and an increase of 25,000 in the employment content in tourism and that there will be £500 million extra revenue generated over the period of the plan, and the plan is on target as of now. We have also, as the Deputy knows, an elaborate plan for the development of regional airports which will also impact on tourism in Waterford, Cork and the Farranfore area.
Surely the basis for doubling the numbers over a five year period must be based on some method of access transport and the Minister has already said it includes the upgrading of regional airports. The Minister must then know whether he has included a ferry in the plan?
We intend to attain the objective regardless of whether that specific ferry is available. The position is that I was very anxious that such a ferry should operate this summer. I made efforts in that regard but I am afraid that there will not be a ferry operating this summer on the Swansea-Cork line.
Is the Minister suggesting that the figures can be obtained without a ferry?
Yes, they will have to be.
If a ferry is included, the figures will be higher than that?
Not necessarily, but if they are I would welcome it.
Does the Minister see the contradiction in what he is saying?
No.
If the figures are to be increased a ferry is necessary and if it is necessary the Minister should be a lot more active in seeing that one is installed. There is a general feeling among south-west tourism people that there is no enthusiasm in Government circles for this ferry and that if there was it would be there this summer.
This is leading to argument.
Enthusiasm is a good word and enthusiasm generally can be gauged if somebody is willing to put his money where his mouth is. We offered £500,000 because of the tourism implications for the establishment of a ferry service. We then backed that up with the offer of an interest free loan to the company but they were unable to get a ferry for the season. The matter rests there. I understand that they have not given up hope of getting the service going in 1990. I will be the first to welcome their input into the tourist numbers in 1990.
May I ask a brief supplementary?
I will allow the Deputy a brief supplementary.
When the Minister talks about doubling the tourist numbers is he talking about tourists as presently defined — any person that stays 24 hours here or an emigrant coming back to play a football match, or will the Minister reclassify what a tourist is?
I will have to accept the definition as of now. I would have a narrower one. I would define a tourist as somebody who comes into the country and buys a bun. Twenty four hours is the usual period mentioned now in the international definition of a tourist. It is very important to get the idea across, an idea that has been put forward for many years by some leading friends of Ireland in Britain and the US, that we are in competition with sun holiday destinations for our own people wherever they are. Anybody who refuses to praise them for choosing their own native land rather than sun destinations, or refuses to enumerate them among tourists, is not doing a service to tourism in this country.
Does the Minister think it right that a dentist who works in this country but who also works four days a week in England and flies back and forward every weekend is classified as 52 tourists in the year?
The Deputy has already made that point.
(Interruptions.)
The Liverpool soccer players came to Ireland for a night.
The Deputy has already switched from football to dentistry.
One is as valid as the other.
(Interruptions.)
What statisticians have to do is deal with the vast numbers of people coming into the country. I do not care what the Deputy thinks up with regard to footballers or dentists. I am confident that, by and large, the statistics that we have with regard to tourists will stand up. They are the accepted international criteria and that is what we abide by.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 17 postponed. I am now calling Question No. 18.
The Minister depends for the success of tourism on emigration.
If a dentist pulls teeth in Brittany but spends his money on a holiday in Ireland, I would have no objections.
I call Question No. 18.
He will not be sleeping in the hotels unless there is investment in the next few weeks or years.
The hotels do not invest unless they have good potential for development. The Deputy can be sure of that.
The Taoiseach will be regarded as a tourist on his return.
Question No. 17 postponed.