Bernard Allen
Question:251 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation when he will publish a Green Paper on the future of Irish tourism. [16904/97]
Written Answers. - Tourism Policy.
Bernard Allen
Question:252 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the steps, if any, he has taken to examine the merits of extending schemes, such as the rural cottage project and the stay-on-a-farm scheme, since taking office. [16905/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:253 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the steps, if any, he has taken to publish a manpower plan for the Irish tourism industry. [16906/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:254 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the steps, if any, he has taken to ensure that CERT forms and operates a tourism training forum for both the tourism industry and for educational bodies. [16907/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:255 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the steps, if any, he has taken to ensure that hotel colleges broaden their courses and structures to include courses on marketing, planning, innovation, commercial policy and customer care. [16908/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:256 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the steps, if any, he has taken to ensure that CERT co-ordinates an annual careers exhibition to highlight the opportunities in the industry. [16909/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:257 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the steps, if any, he has taken since taking office to encourage our embassies abroad to play a role in promoting Irish tourism. [16911/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:258 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the plans, if any, he has to support and develop the efforts of the domestic tourism marketing initiative to co-ordinate the domestic marketing of Irish tourism. [16912/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:259 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the plans, if any, he has to reinforce the efforts of Bord Fáilte and the OTMI to co-ordinate the external marketing of Irish tourism. [16913/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:260 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the steps, if any, he has taken to ensure that individual projects which apply for European Regional Development Fund funding are properly researched, in view of the fact that it has been stated that the current project assessment forms for marketing and development are totally inadequate to screen projects; and his views on the way in which they should be revised. [16914/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:261 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the way in which he proposes to ensure that the National Tourism Council is as representative as possible of the tourism industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16915/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:262 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the way in which he proposes to involve Bord Fáilte in introducing an annual research plan based on the tourism industry's needs. [16916/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:263 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the way in which he plans to reinforce the role of Bord Fáilte as the co-ordinator of overseas marketing and establish a regular schedule of meetings with his Department. [16917/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:264 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the way in which he proposes to conduct a full review of the project management boards. [16918/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:265 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the way in which he proposes to clearly delineate the roles of Bord Fáilte and the National Tourism Council and their respective responsibilities as advisers to Government. [16919/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:266 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the way in which he proposes to re-evaluate the current structures within tourism in order to make them more compatible with the needs of a modern tourism industry. [16920/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:267 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the steps, if any, he has taken to recognise the importance of cheap air and sea access and the need to upgrade car hire on a reasonable and competitive basis. [16923/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:268 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the steps, if any, he has taken to ensure that smaller tourism operators, such as bed and breakfast operators, get a fair share of grants and other incentives. [16925/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:269 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the steps, if any, which are being taken to introduce supplements to grants using the taxation system to encourage investment and reward risk. [16926/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:270 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the steps, if any, he has taken to ensure the availability of low fixed-interest, long-term funds for productive employment generating investment. [16927/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:271 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation when he will convene a national forum on tourism. [16930/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:272 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation when he will develop a research unit within his Department. [16931/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:273 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the steps, if any, he has taken to ensure that Bord Fáilte and the tourism industry in the mid-west have appropriate representation. [16933/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:274 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the extra resources, if any, which are being made available for both the marketing and promotion of Ireland overseas and the promotion of domestic tourism, as outlined under the domestic tourism marketing initiative. [16934/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:275 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation when he will upgrade the status of the regional tourism organisations to allow them to have a more direct input into tourism policy and development at both national and local levels as promised in An Action Programme for the Millennium. [16935/97]
Bernard Allen
Question:276 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation when he will publish a booklet which covers the grants that are available for tourism development for the types of projects and grant agencies. [16936/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275 and 276 together.
I thank Deputy Allen for his interest in the contents of the Fianna Fáil position paper entitled Towards World Class Tourism which was published in May 1997. The document covers a very broad range of issues which were identified as part of a consultation process with those involved in the industry. Some of the ideas in that paper have been incorporated into the tourism chapter of An Action Programme for the Millenium.
The Government is just 100 days in office. I assure the Deputy that I will be progressing work, as appropriate, during my tenure in office as Minister, on the tourism priorities identified in the Government's programme. For example, I have already advanced work on the proposed development of the national conference centre and have had very useful and productive initial discussions and consultations with a range of key groups, organisations, individuals and State agencies associated with the sector.