Written Answers - Official Engagements.
Jack Wall
Question:
614
Mr. Wall
asked the
Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
the meetings the Minister of State at his Department had with the tourism sector on his recent visit to South Africa; the number of groups he met; if he used the tourism brief given to him by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8258/03]
The Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, did not accompany me on my recent visit to South Africa. While in South Africa I met Mr. Eberhard Gennrich the Tourism Ireland representative at a lunch briefing on 13 March 2003. On 14 March 2003 I spoke at a tourism breakfast organised by Tourism Ireland. I also spoke about tourism at various public events I attended during my visit to South Africa. Following is a full itinerary of my visit for the Deputy's information and I confirm use of tourism brief given to me.
Thursday, 13 March.
10.10: Arrive in JHB – SAA 229 ex London.
Stay at Michelangelo Hotel, Sandton Square, West Street.
13.00: Depart hotel.
13.30: Briefing lunch with Ambassador and other members of staff – Casalinga, Rocky Ridge Road off DF Malan Drive, Honeydew.
19.00for 19.30: Dinner organised by Enterprise Ireland at Hyatt Hotel, Rosebank. The dinner to be attended by businessmen both Irish and South African involved in trade or in the promotion of trade between Ireland and South Africa.
Friday, 14 March.
07.30: Depart hotel for tourism breakfast organised by Tourism Ireland at Inanda Club, 1 Forest Road, Inanda. The event to be attended by travel agents, tourism media and Aer Lingus representatives.
09.00: Return to hotel.
10.00-11.00: Meeting with Mayor of Johannesburg to be confirmed.
12.00: Depart hotel.
12.30: Reception for Irish community-diplomatic community, Ambassador's residence, Pretoria.
14.00: Depart Ambassador's residence for Apartheid Museum.
15.00: Visit to Apartheid Museum.
16.00: Return to hotel.
17.00: Visit to Irish Club, Corner of 5th Avenue and 4th Street, Linden, Johannesburg. The club was established in 2002. It is family oriented, particularly at weekends. Its membership is quite young.
Evening free.
Saturday, 15 March.
08.30: Depart hotel.
09.00-09.30: Arrive at Orange Farm. Meeting and discussion with community leaders for an overview of the different social issues such as HIV/AIDS and unemployment which affect the community and the measures they are taking to counteract these problems.
10.15-11.00: Visit to CORDIS – project funded by Ireland Aid.
11.30: Arrival at Nelson Mandela's house in Soweto.
12.30: Lunch at Wandies, a typical "shebeen" in Soweto.
14.00: Return to hotel. Afternoon free.
18.00: Depart hotel.
18.30: St. Patrick's Day Ball, Indaba Hotel, Fourways. The ball association organises the event every year and most of the money raised goes to charity. It is always well attended. Apart from the ball, the association does not engage in any other activity throughout the year.
Sunday, 16 March.
Check out of Hotel.
09.30: Mass at St. Mary's, Rivonia, Corner of Rivonia and North Streets, celebrated by Fr. Graham Page.
12.00: Check in at airport.
13.00: Departure on SAA 337 to Cape Town.
15.10: Arrive Cape Town.
Check in to Cape Grace Hotel.
20.00: Depart hotel for dinner with Minister Kader Asmal and Mrs. Asmal at Wangthai Restaurant, 105 Paramount Place, Main Road, Green Point.
Monday, 17 March.
10.15: Depart Hotel.
11.00: Mass at Christian Brothers, CBC Centre, Paradyskloof Road, Stellenbosch, Western Cape – Fr. Michael Mernagh – to be followed by tour of projects, to be followed by informal lunch with project leaders. Fr. Mernagh, from the City Community Development Association, Meath Street in Dublin, is the principal mover of the project which aims to address the rural communities problems of poverty and social exclusion through the implementation of a holistic integrated rural development programme for farm workers, their families and the surrounding farm communities living and working on farms in the Western Cape Province.
16.30: Visit Salesian Project – Fr. Pat Naughton – 2 Somerset Road, Cape Town.
17.30: Return to Hotel.
19.30 for 20.00: Irish South African Association Dinner, BMW Pavilion, V&A Waterfront. The association is one of three Irish associations in the Cape Town area. Set up about two years ago, it organises a social event for St. Patrick's Day and other social events throughout the year.
Tuesday, 18 March.
09.00: Meeting with Minister for Social Development, Mr. Zola Skweyiya (to be confirmed).
11.00: Visit to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was jailed for many years.
14.30: Return to Hotel.
16.45: Check out from hotel and go to Ambassador's Residence.
17.00: Reception at Ambassador's residence for Irish community.
18.30: Minister and party depart for airport.
20.40: Depart on flight SAA 220 to London.
