Vol. 518 No. 3
262 Mr. Roche asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the circumstances in which the tourist reservations systems, Gulliver, was sold; the policy and other considerations which surrounded its sale; the way in which the sale was administered and the purchaser chosen; the date on which these decisions were made by Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11599/00]
In November 1994 the Government approved the out-sourcing of the management of the Gulliver system, having regard to the recommendations of the review of Bord Fáilte carried out by international consultants, Arthur D. Little.
On 8 April 1997 the Government, on the basis of a recommendation from Bord Fáilte, approved the sale of a 74% stake in Gulliver, the computerised tourist information and reservation system developed jointly by Bord Fáilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, to the Foreign Exchange Company of Ireland Limited, Fexco. Fexco, a County Kerry based company, emerged as the most suitable partner for the future development of Gulliver following an open, transparent tendering process.
The two tourist boards were assisted in the selection process by a steering group, representative of the two tourist boards, the Gulliver advisory board, and the then Department of Tourism and Trade and the Northern Ireland Department of Economic Development, supported by external independent financial advisers who were responsible for the management of the various stages of the negotiations.
