Eamon Gilmore
Question:21 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the planned merger of Bord Fáilte and CERT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16135/03]
Written Answers. - National Tourism Development Authority.
John Gormley
Question:22 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the dispute among CERT and Bord Fáilte employees in relation to the new Fáilte Ireland authority. [16204/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 22 together.
As and from 28 May 2003, Bord Fáilte Éireann and CERT Limited were dissolved and replaced by the National Tourism Development Authority, to be know operationally as Fáilte Ireland. The legislation to provide for the establishment of the new National Tourism Development Authority, the National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003, was signed into law by Uachtarán na hÉireann on 13 April 2003. On 21 May 2003, I announced the membership of the authority and signed an order designating 28 May 2003 as its establishment day. Under the terms of the legislation, dissolution of Bord Fáilte and CERT was an automatic consequence of the establishment of the authority.
I was pleased to have the opportunity to address the first meeting of the authority, which was held in Dublin Castle, on its establishment day. In my address, I made a number of points. Given that we must continually update the nature and quality of our tourism product to meet evolving consumer demands, I asked the authority to bring an enhanced strategic focus to its product development functions. I conveyed to the authority the view expressed by several Deputies, which I share, that the authority should consider working in a more intensive way with tourism operators, particularly SMEs, to help them achieve what efficiencies they can and also to organise themselves to best exploit the opportunities available to them.
The joint Bord Fáilte Éireann-CERT Group, which laid the groundwork for the merger earlier last year, recommended that the authority have a strong environmental focus which was well integrated with its product development function. I support that recommendation. There is a need for balance, common sense and mutuality of interests to be established in debates on tourism and the environment, particularly on sensitive issues. I expressed the hope that the authority will be a force to facilitate that.
The tourism policy review group has recently issued its interim report. I asked the authority to pursue some key issues from that report which it could drive forward straight away. Tourism does not exist in isolation. I told the authority that I considered it a key part of its remit to make authoritative inputs to help both myself and my Department to influence wider policy areas of critical importance to tourism.
Corporate governance is assuming major importance in the public sector and I asked the authority to implement the new framework for corporate governance which was formulated earlier this year. The authority will now commence work under its chief executive, Shaun Quinn, on the drawing up of corporate and operational plans to guide its activities over the coming years.
In relation to staffing, the National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003 made provision for all Bord Fáilte and CERT staff to transfer automatically to Fáilte Ireland on establishment day. Section 35 of the Act provides for the transfer of the existing staff of Bord Fáilte Éireann and CERT Limited to the new authority on terms and conditions no less favourable than those to which they were subject immediately beforehand. This provision is a powerful guarantee, which delivers a very high level of security to those involved and reflects a promise which I made to union representatives when I met them late last year.
In regard to the ongoing discussions between management and staff representatives, the agreed facilitator adjourned talks on 23 May without agreement on all issues. I am glad to report that talks are due to resume again this afternoon, under the aegis of the Labour Relations Commission.
Question No. 23 answered with Question No. 14.