Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Nov 1993

Vol. 435 No. 3

Written Answers. - County Tourism Committees.

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

89 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if he is proceeding to establish the County Tourism Committees; if there will be such a committee for the four Dublin local authorities; and the relationship between the new committees and the six regional tourism bodies.

Minister for Tourism and Trade (Mr. McCreevy)

Following a detailed review of the co-ordination of tourism at regional level I wish to advise the Deputy that I reached agreement with representatives of the regional tourism organisations on Friday, 29 October 1993 to establish more appropriate institutional structures for Irish tourism at regional and county level.

Under the arrangement county tourism committees will be established in each county. However, because of the structure of tourism in Dublin it is not proposed to establish county tourism committees in Dublin city and county. Dublin tourism will continue to operate in its present format.

In general, these committees will be involved in the "hands on" development at county/area level while the RTO's will continue to have responsibility for tourism development at regional level including co-ordination, promotions, tourist information networks and accommodation standards. Committees will be responsible for stimulating and co-ordinating projects in the tourism sector by identifying, influencing and bringing forward new products and initiatives in the remit of their operational area. The committee will also have responsibility for formulating county tourism action plans for incorporation into the county enterprise action plans produced by the county enterprise boards and the regional tourism plans produced by the RTO's. The RTO will convene three meetings per annum with each committee and organise an annual regional forum of all committees.