Vol. 435 No. 2
4 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if he will give the functions and role of the recently established tourism council; if he intends to bring forward legislation to establish it on a statutory basis in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
30 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the terms of reference and role of the newly established Tourism Council; its relationship with Bord Fáilte; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 30 together.
The Tourism Council which had its first meeting under my chairmanship on 30 September 1993 will have two primary functions; to act as a national forum for consultation between the tourism industry, State tourism agencies and Government Departments on a tripartite basis, and to act in an advisory capacity to the Minister for Tourism and provide guidance in determining tourism policy to be implemented by the State agencies.
I am satisfied that the council, as established, can fully carry out its consultative and advisory roles and I have no plans to introduce legislation to put it on a statutory basis. Final decisions on tourism policy are my responsibility as Minister for Tourism and Trade.
The chairman and director general of Bord Fáilte are both members of the Tourism Council and they have assured me of their strong support for the work of the council.
I congratulate the Minister on setting up this body and for ensuring that all potential voices against such policy have been amalgamated. I am sure that will have a silencing effect on many of them. Is it possible to give this body a more practical and active role rather than the consultative one the Minister has given to it? Will the council have any say in the formation of the tourist operational programme which is being drawn up at present? Will it monitor the way Structural Funds are spent in the future and the types of projects to be funded?
It would be far from me to try to silence any group of people. To suggest that by amalgamating them in the tourism council would silence some of them is wide of the mark. The council is a new forum, but it will not have a role in the monitoring of the tourism operational programmes. We must wait and see how it develops before making any proposals regarding expanding its role in the future. I believe in the elected representatives and the Government of the day making decisions in respect of policy. For too long it has been the practice in various Departments, that when a problem arises, especially if it has political implications, the trend is to hive it off to a new body to make a decision so that it can be blamed for the mistakes. There is a new Department of Tourism and Trade and the Minister for Tourism and Trade will direct tourism policy and will have it carried out by the tourism agencies. I intend that the tourism council should develop and have an input into the areas mentioned. We will consider in the course of time how to involve it in the operation of tourism policy. That is the best way to proceed.
