Desmond J. O'Malley
Question:7 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the current position regarding the Gulliver electronic tourist information and reservation system. [18857/96]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Gulliver Tourist Information System.
Noel Treacy
Question:23 Mr. N. Treacy asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the cost to date of the Gulliver computerised reservation system; and by whom these costs were met. [18726/96]
John Browne
Question:41 Mr. Browne (Wexford) asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the percentage of reservations made through the Gulliver system in each of the past three years for which figures are available. [18728/96]
Willie O'Dea
Question:45 Mr. O'Dea asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the level of State investment to date in the Gulliver system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18729/96]
Brendan Kenneally
Question:49 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the current position regarding the Gulliver computerised reservation system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18735/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 23, 41, 45 and 49 together.
The Gulliver reservation system has been developed by Bord Fáilte on a joint basis with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board as part of its day to day ongoing marketing activities.
As I indicated previously, and most recently on 24 January last, the Arthur D. Little consultants, as part of their overall review of Bord Fáilte, examined the operation of this system. The consultants recommended that the management of Gulliver should be outsourced. Following more detailed study, the consultants recommended that a third party specialised operator-investor should be sought who would take responsibility for adapting and developing the system and for management of accommodation supplier contracts.
A steering group has been established to oversee the securing of new partnership arrangements for Gulliver. I understand that work on this task is progressing.
Total expenditure on the project in the period 1990 to 1995 was £10.2 million. Taking account of membership and transaction fees of £1.6 million, the estimated net cost of the project up to the end of 1995 was £8.6 million. Funding for the net expenditure on the project came from EU development grants, £2.9 million, BFE's own resources, £2.6 million, International Fund for Ireland development grants, £1.6 million, and NITB's own resources, £1.5 million.
Regarding the percentage of reservations made through the Gulliver system, the Deputy will appreciate that this is commercially sensitive information, particularly at a time when discussions with potential new partners are taking place relating to the day to day operation of the system.
When was the steering committee established? The Minister informed the Select Committee on Enterprise and Economic Strategy on 29 May that this steering committee was then in existence. Nearly five months have passed but it seems from the Minister's reply that no decision has yet been arrived at in regard to a partner for the two tourism boards in the Gulliver system. What is the cause of this long delay?
It is a complex matter. The steering group consists of representatives of the two tourism boards, the advisory board, the Department of Tourism and Trade and the Northern Ireland Department of Economic Development. I do not have the date on which the steering committee was set up but I will send it to the Deputy. The A.D. Little report was presented in early 1994 and at the end of that year it was recommended that this be outsourced. On 19 September this year the prospectus seeking a joint partner for Gulliver was issued. This has been narrowed down to a small number of companies with which discussions are taking place with a view to becoming partners in the system, as recommended by A.D. Little.
The Minister realises that Opposition Deputies rely on ministerial statements for their information. We were told last May that the steering group had been set up to find a partner, yet the prospectus was not issued until recently. There must be a reasonable explanation for this long delay.
It is a sensitive and complex business. There is a great deal of technological information which I do not fully understand.
It is two years since A.D. Little recommended it.
Let us hear the reply.
Yes, at the end of 1994 A.D. Little recommended that this be outsourced and following that a steering group was set up. The prospectus was issued on 19 September and we have narrowed down the number of companies having technical and detailed discussions about becoming partners in the system. I cannot put a date on it but I hope it will be concluded as soon as possible because I am as interested as Deputy Molloy in seeing that this is up and running properly.
In view of the difficulties which have beset the Gulliver system, would the Minister consider having the operation assessed professionally and independently with a view to establishing where we ought to go?
Not another consultant, surely.
The A.D. Little report recommended that it be outsourced and that is what we are doing now.
Not too successfully.
As Deputy Killeen is aware, the cost was over £8.6 million up to 1995 and we are in the final stages of assessing whether potential partners can be found to have the business outsourced, as recommended by the independent consultants.