Michael Woods
Question:40 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if the high level of the punt against sterling has had an adverse effect on tourism revenues. [14044/95]
Written Answers. - Tourism Revenues.
David Andrews
Question:131 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if the high level of the punt against sterling has had an adverse effect on tourism revenues. [14134/95]
Tony Killeen
Question:162 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if the high level of the punt against sterling has had an adverse effect on tourism revenues. [14173/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 40, 131 and 162 together.
The Central Statistics Office has not yet released any details of expenditure broken down by market area for 1995 with the result there are no indications yet of expenditure by British tourists. However, in the first six months of this year the total number of British visitors to Ireland is estimated to have grown by 11 per cent over the corresponding period in 1994 and the indications are that this trend has continued. While current indications are that the Punt-Sterling relationship has not impacted negatively on the number of UK visitors deciding to holiday in Ireland, until such time as the Central Statistics Office provides revenue estimates calculated by market area it will not be possible to gauge the impact, if any, on spending by UK holidaymakers while here.