Bord Fáilte, out of moneys provided from my Vote, and Dublin Tourism, is providing a total of £15,000 this year to the tourist victim support service, TVSS, which represents almost 50 per cent of its income.
I am aware the TVSS has recently called again on private sector tourism interests to make a much more substantial financial contribution to it. With a very few notable exceptions, that contribution has been negligible up to now and, earlier this year, in a formal message of support, I urged the broad tourism industry to provide a worthwhile level of financial assistance. I understand that Bord Fáilte also independently undertook a campaign to elicit more funding from the industry.
As on previous occasions, I applaud the TVSS for its very valuable work, which it undertakes with substantial voluntary effort. It is high time the industry came forward with an appropriate level of assistance, especially in the context of the present tourism boom.