Vol. 495 No. 5
13 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has met Bord Fáilte to discuss its failure to implement key recommendations related to the marketing of tourism as contained in a report (details supplied). [20646/98]
Following the Government's decision in November 1994 to accept the recommendations contained in the A. D. Little review of Bord Fáilte, the board proceeded with their implementation. Central to the ADL recommendations is the proposal that Bord Fáilte should concentrate and devote its resources to the core roles of promoting and marketing Ireland overseas as a tourist destination, helping the less mature elements of the industry develop and providing information to industry decision makers. To this end, a new mission statement and list of functions was drawn up and a new management structure put in place. A new international marketing director and new general manager Europe were appointed along with 20 new marketing staff in order to fill skill gaps. Furthermore, several non-core activities were outsourced, such as the registration and grading functions in respect of certain types of accommodation, tourism product approvals, publication of the Discover Ireland series, majority ownership and operation of the Gulliver information and reservation service, and responsibility for the Tidy Towns Competition.
Since taking office, I have had a number of opportunities to meet the board, the chairman and chief executive of Bord Fáilte to discuss a range of issues, including follow up to certain ADL recommendations. The board of Bord Fáilte recently endorsed a revised senior management structure for the organisation, introduced by its new chief executive, which, I understand, is intended to optimise the position and resources of the board so that it can best serve the needs of the industry in the years ahead.
The Arthur D. Little report recommends that 20 marketing executives at graduate level should be appointed to market our tourism industry throughout Europe and the United States. How many of those 20 marketing executives are still employed by Bord Fáilte? I understand it has not retained that number and that the number may have fallen to eight, which contravenes the report's recommendation. As Bord Fáilte approaches the next tourist season, why has a head of marketing not been appointed, given that it is nine or ten months since the previous post holder resigned?
The A. D. Little report is concise, it extends to 30 pages and it should be available to all those involved in the industry. It recommends the hiring of a new international marketing manager and the introduction of new blood. That has been taking place since the report was published. The report states that the industry should play a greater role in tourism promotion. The State should also be involved, but the State is highly placed on a graph in this regard when the industry should occupy that position. We are gradually handing over more responsibility for this area to the industry. Twenty marketing executives were taken on, but I do not know the number that have been retained. There has not been a dramatic change in the number employed in the marketing sphere. New blood has been introduced into Bord Fáilte and a new chief executive has been appointed. As I stated in the reply, a new structure has been introduced in Bord Fáilte. It recently endorsed a revised senior management structure for the organisation. I am sure the Deputy will agree that marketing represents the future for Bord Fáilte. That is indicated in the A. D. Little report and marketing should be its forte.
Those are just words. The Arthur D. Little report is clear in its recommendation that 20 marketing executives should be appointed to Bord Fáilte. It may have appointed 20 when the report was published, but how many of those are still employed? The Minister should know that information. The Minister did not answer the other question I asked. Why has the position of head of marketing in Bord Fáilte not been filled, given that it is nearly 12 months since the previous post holder resigned? As Bord Fáilte approaches the next tourist season, why has the position of head of marketing not been filled? If the Minister were to check the position, I am sure he would find that not even half the number of marketing executives recommended in the report are employed in marketing. The report's key recommendation for the marketing section has been ignored. The words used by the Minister in regard to marketing Ireland ring hollow because they have not been translated into action. Will he be more precise?
We must proceed to Question No. 14. The time for Question No. 13 has expired.
I asked a question and the Minister did not answer it.
Time has run out and the Minister cannot answer it. The Minister must now answer Question No. 14. The six minutes are up.
He is hiding behind the time limit. I asked a specific question which he did not answer and I am entitled to an answer.
The Deputy should allow Question No. 14 to proceed.
Will the Minister answer the question?
The Minister cannot answer the question according to the rules of the House.
But he should have answered the question and he did not.
