Vol. 550 No. 2
20 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the number of meetings he has had with his counterpart on the Northern Ireland Executive; the agenda items for the meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8083/02]
Since taking up office in 1997 I have had a number of formal and informal meetings with Sir Reg Empey, MLA, Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, my counterpart on the Northern Ireland Executive, to discuss a range of tourism-related issues.
As regards formal meetings of the North-South Ministerial Council, I have had five in the tourism sectoral format with Mr. Empey, in addition to meeting him and Michael McGimpsey, MLA, Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, my counterpart on the Northern Ireland Executive with responsibility for sport, at three plenary meetings.
The inaugural meeting of the NSMC in tourism sectoral format took place on 27 October 2000 in Belfast. Items discussed included the memorandum and articles of association for the proposed North-South tourism marketing company, Tourism Ireland Limited, the schedule for setting up the company, arrangements for recruiting a chief executive officer, funding arrangements, the composition of the board and the responsibilities of the company's regional office at Coleraine.
The second meeting took place in Letterkenny on 30 March 2001. Progress on the establishment of Tourism Ireland Limited and training in the tourism and hospitality industry were the principal items discussed.
The NSMC met for the third time on 29 June 2001 in Coleraine and considered, inter alia, a staffing structure for the new company, the operational plan for 2001 and training in the tourism and hospitality industry.
The fourth meeting of the council took place in Dublin on 7 November 2001, coinciding with the official launch in Dublin and Belfast of Tourism Ireland Limited. In the course of that meeting the council heard progress reports from the chairperson and chief executive of Tourism Ireland Limited.
Most recently I met with Mr. Empey at the fifth meeting of the NSMC on 22 February 2002 in Killadeas, County Fermanagh, at which Tourism Ireland Limited's corporate plan for 2002 to 2004 and operating plan for 2002 were agreed.
I will be happy to arrange for copies of the joint communiqués issued after the five meetings to be sent to the Deputy, should he so wish.
