Vol. 470 No. 3
17 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if his attention has been drawn to an article in a British newspaper (details supplied) which suggests that mass tourism is ruining the tranquility of parts of the country; the action, if any, he intends taking in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18711/96]
I am aware of the article on the Aran Islands to which the Deputy refers and I fully appreciate that tourism development must be sensitive to and take account of the needs for preservation of our unique island culture.
The local regional tourism organisations — RTOs — which are responsible for managing tourism flows within the country, help deal with any consequent problems that might arise in close conjunction with all other interested local groups. Measures to combat such problems will normally also require a high level of consultation between local groups and the local authority involved and are primarily a matter for the Department of the Environment.
In the case of the islands, the RTOs are encouraging a higher level of longer stay tourism traffic particularly outside the peak season. The issues of sustainable development, seasonality and a wider dispersal of tourists throughout the country feature prominently in the Operational Programme for Tourism, 1994-1999. One of the major aims of the programme is to concentrate a significant proportion of growth in the shoulder and off-peak periods. Grant assistance for marketing activities is weighted in favour of proposals that aim to achieve this objective, while all capital projects assisted under the programme are required to comply with the best environmental standards.
