Tony Killeen
Question:27 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade his views on the negative publicity arising from the level of criminal activity directed at tourists, particularly in the Dublin area. [5919/95]
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Crime Reporting.
Brendan Smith
Question:37 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade his views on the negative publicity arising from the level of criminal activity directed at tourists, particularly in the Dublin area. [5928/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 37 together.
Ireland's reputation as an important tourist destination has been achieved by hard work and excellent marketing over a considerable number of years and I would of course be concerned at developments, such as an unbalanced reporting of crimes against tourists in Ireland, which might damage that reputation.
In this regard, I am pleased to report that over the past year or so there has been a very significant decline in the level of negative publicity, both at home and abroad, arising from such crimes.
Does the Minister have a means of monitoring and countering bad publicity either within his Department or through Bord Fáilte? I am sure he is aware that some of the publicity is unfair and highlights fairly minor and unusual incidents. Does he agree it is necessary for his Department to have in place a means of monitoring such publicity inside and outside the country and, more importantly, a means of counteracting it?
I assume Deputy Killeen agrees that everybody wishes crime was not committed against visitors or citizens. The decline in media coverage on the domestic front is welcome and the level of coverage of crime against visitors to Ireland in the international media has been negligible, if not non-existent, in the past year or so.
Since taking office I met the Minister for Justice — the person responsible for the problem of crime — on a number of occasions. Measures taken by the Garda, Bord Fáilte and other interests to address the problem of crime against tourists include regular liaision meetings between the Garda authorities, Bord Fáilte and other tourism interests, deployment of additional Garda patrols in areas of high tourism interest, the establishment of a Garda office in O'Connell Street in March 1990 which acts as a centre for advising tourists on safety measures, the distribution of safety leaflets in three languages and city maps produced by the Garda for tourists and an increased level of foreign language training for gardaí. Special provision was made in the Criminal Evidence Act, 1992, to enable tourist victims make an immediate statement before a district justice, eliminating the necessity to attend a subsequent trial. Action against illegal traffic wardens has been taken by the Garda and a business watch scheme was set up in Talbot Street, which we hope to extend to Grafton Street and Mary Street in 1995. Further measures will be taken by the Garda, Bord Fáilte and the tourism industry in 1995 to propagate the "stay safe" message. Deputy Killeen will be aware that in April 1994 the Dublin Tourist Victims' Support Service was set up to provide assistance and emotional and practical support for the victims of crimes against tourists. Last year my predecessor allocated £5,000 to that service, the figure was doubled this year to enable it to carry out its work more effectively.