Vol. 519 No. 2
300 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has received any requests from approved bed and breakfast owners with regard to unapproved accommodation; his views on whether those offering an approved service require grant aid in order to compete with the unapproved sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13264/00]
The system whereby bed and breakfast accommodation is listed is a voluntary one and operators who do not wish to be listed by Bord Fáilte is not prohibited from carrying on its business.
However, statutory requirements in areas such as taxation, planning, fire and safety and hygiene apply to all providers of tourist accommodation, whether listed or unlisted, the latter having the major disadvantage, of course, of no access to official marketing support through Bord Fáilte, the Tourist Information Office network of the RTAs and the Gulliver reservations system.
Personally speaking, I deeply appreciate the contribution of the bed and breakfast sector to Irish tourism and recognise the need to encourage and develop the sector. As a mark of that commitment, last year I launched a new initiative targeted primarily at the small accommodation provider, whereby Bord Fáilte would carry out a fundamental review of how the various groups in this category are branded and marketed overseas with a view to increasing business overall and particularly in off-peak season and in rural areas.
A sum of £300,000 was set aside in 1999 for this initiative, with £500,000 being allocated this year. This initiative is available only to listed accommodation providers, and I am confident it will considerably expand the range of support offered to the sector, thereby making listing an even more attractive proposition for bed and breakfast providers.
