Vol. 452 No. 6
11 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the number of meetings of the steering committee on the implementation of the A.D. Little Review of Bord Fáilte that have taken place; the changes which have been implemented to date; the timescale for the implementation of the balance of the report's proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8380/95]
31 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the future role of Bord Fáilte. [8400/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 31 together.
The future core roles of Bord Fáilte are to sell Ireland overseas, to help the less mature elements of the industry to develop and to provide information to industry decision makers. The objective is to make Bord Fáilte Éireann a leaner and more focused market driven organisation sensitive to the needs and requirements of the maturing Irish tourism industry and the increasingly sophisticated international tourist. Bord Fáilte will strengthen its marketing capabilities, but will cease some of its existing functions which are not required directly to support the board's core objectives.
The steering committee which has been established to oversee the implementation of the recommendations in the Arthur D. Little review of Bord Fáilte has met on nine occasions. The change process is well advanced and progressing satisfactorily. Already there is clear evidence of the internal organisational and cultural changes within the board. A new mission statement and organisation structure are being put in place. A new dynamic international marketing director has been recruited with an impressive track record in private industry. A voluntary severance package has been put to staff which will enable the organisation to be revitalised and reinvigorated through staff movement and some recruitment of new blood.
As regards existing Bord Fáilte functions to be divested, the tendering procedure for the registration and grading of accommodation is well advanced. The legislation which is needed to subcontract these functions is being drafted at present. My Department has engaged in a consultative process with the key groups of accommodation providers affected by the proposed changes to ensure that they understand what is being done and to take their concerns on board.
On the product approvals side, a number of the key associations, for example, in the bed and breakfast sector, have taken up the challenge of accepting a greater level of responsibility for enforcing their own standards.
The Tidy Towns competition has been transferred to the Department of the Environment and the Discover Ireland brochure series has been put out to tender. The Gulliver information-reservation system is being fundamentally reassessed to see if it can be satisfactorily reconfigured.
It is difficult to put a precise timescale on the implementation of all the changes envisaged, but I would expect that substantial completion will have taken place by the end of the summer. These are a series of dramatic changes which, taken together, will mean a new and exciting chapter in the history of Bord Fáilte.
Will functions other than those stated by the Minister be taken from Bord Fáilte?
They are the principal ones. Is the Deputy interested in a particular activity?
I am trying to establish the exact functions that will be taken from Bord Fáilte. Are there functions about which a decision has not yet been made?
They are the principal ones. The Tidy Towns competition has been transferred to the Department of the Environment. The picture library, which supports its core functions, will remain under Bord Fáilte's remit. The photographic, printing and distribution departments will also remain with Bord Fáilte although they will be reduced in size. The future of Ireland of the Welcomes magazine has not yet been determined. While it is likely to remain under the remit of Bord Fáilte, discussions will take place with the international marketing manager about its future.
What grant aiding will Bord Fáilte receive under the new regime?
Arising from the Arthur D. Little review, the Deputy will be aware that applications for assistance under the European Regional Development Fund programme are lodged in the first instance through the regional tourist organisations. They are sent to Bord Fáilte for evaluation and analysis and if they meet the criteria required they are submitted to the independent product management boards, chaired by independent chairmen, who decide the level, or otherwise, of grant assistance. Those are the recommendations of the Arthur D. Little report.
The Deputy will be aware that tenders have been sought recently for further independent organisations which could carry out such evaluation, but that matter has not been concluded.
Will the strengthened marketing role of Bord Fáilte involve it in more active marketing of Irish tourism product in the southern states of North America?
Yes, that will be the case.
In what way?
The newly appointed international marketing director will be supplied with up to 20 marketing people to assist in direct consumer marketing matters. I envisage this will mean an extension or transformation of the OTMI as it currently exists. The Deputy can take it that this matter will be actively considered and I will bear the Deputy's interest and concern in mind.
