Vol. 702 No. 3
68 Deputy John O’Mahony asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his plans to publish the recently completed review of the horse and greyhound racing fund; if he will bring forward proposals for a new funding system for the industry in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8107/10]
I refer the Deputy to Question No. 64 in the name of Deputy Upton in which I outlined my views on the future funding options for the horse and greyhound racing sectors. I have provided a copy of the Farrell, Grant, Sparks review of the horse and greyhound fund to the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, of which the Deputy is a member.
We just got it today. The last time we raised this issue, the Minister stated that he wanted to bring in what he called a gambling architecture for the State. That sounds great, but it is a tall order, given the different players in the market from the small bookies to the big on-line players. We are at it for a couple of years, so is there any point in looking at an interim solution specifically for the horse breeding industry? The Minister knows how badly the industry is doing. There are fewer horses, trainers, races, jobs and less money. We are right up at the top at international level in this area. If we go off the stage for a few years, we will lose our place and our reputation. Is there any point in looking at an interim arrangement?
One of the problems with the tax for small bookmakers was that it was a tax on turnover. That can be very onerous because the bookmaker must pay even if there is no profit at all. Is there any point in looking at some other kind of tax or a flat contribution? I know that the big on-line companies are more than willing to make a contribution. Nobody is happy with the turnover tax, but half a loaf is better than no bread at the moment. If the architecture to which the Minister refers is so difficult to achieve, should we be looking at something that can help the horse industry in the meantime?
When we recently spoke about this at the committee, I said to the Deputy that the French Government is involved in the same process and we are liaising with them to come up with a solution. It is very hard to disentangle, because the process is the very same whether gambling takes place over the telephone or on-line or wherever. Everybody in the industry has been willing to make a contribution, but the difficulty is that they all see the bigger contribution coming from somewhere else in the industry.
It was ever thus.
The Deputy smiles and she is right. While a tax on turnover may be somewhat onerous, the figures that have been suggested to me for a contribution in comparison to what is bet bear no resemblance whatsoever. That is just not acceptable and we must be realistic. It is in the interests of the industry to work with this and come up with a solution. Some members of the industry are coming to see me today, and I will be interested to hear whether they have an updated position.
I also met with some of the serious players in all of this. Each one of them acknowledges the need for doing something about this. Does the Minister have any plan to bring the various stakeholders together to hammer out a deal? There is an element of goodwill among them. I accept the point made by the Minister that everybody would like everybody else to pay, but it is also fair to say that the players acknowledge that something must be done. By getting them all together around a table, something could come about from it and an agreement could be reached.
I would be keen to do that, but I need a firm workable proposal to put to them in order to do that. I met with them all and I have heard their ideas——
I can give the Minister my document.
I am sure we have all received the same documents and messages. I would be open to tweaking some proposal in way that is acceptable to the industry in general. It is a very important and successful industry, and it will have to make its contribution to its own funding. The general Exchequer funding cannot continue to do that. We are still getting substantial funds for the industry, but they are not enough to support the volume of funding needed in the industry.
69 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on amending the governing Act of the Irish Film Board to include support for the computer gaming industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7888/10]
70 Deputy Phil Hogan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has examined the audiovisual content production industry strategy framework group report; if recommendations stemming from that report have been submitted to the Department of Finance for consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8152/10]
80 Deputy Jim O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if in view of the recent nominations for Oscars for Irish films and Irish people involved in the international movie industry, he has proposals to encourage the further development of the Irish film industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7949/10]
85 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on amending section 481 tax relief to include computer gaming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7876/10]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 69, 70, 80 and 85 together.
I take this opportunity to congratulate the five Irish nominations for academy awards which were announced recently. This is a wonderful achievement of which all of the Irish audiovisual industry should be proud. It is also worth pointing out that three of the nominations were for projects that were funded by the Irish Film Board. Let us hope there will be some Irish winners when the awards are handed out on 7 March.
My Department's primary operational role in supporting the film sector relates to the administration of elements of section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 which provides tax relief for investments in qualifying films. A qualifying film is a film for which the Revenue Commissioners have issued a certificate under section 481. The types of film eligible for certification are feature film, television drama, creative documentary and animation. These types are eligible whether computer generated or otherwise but, as Deputies are aware, computer games are currently excluded.
I recently established an audiovisual content production industry strategy framework group — the name is a mouthful — that will assist in providing a clear vision for the future of the industry and response to market changes. I have no doubt that the whole area of computer games development will be examined as a significant part of the work programme of the group. Following the receipt of the report, which I expect to be completed soon, I will examine it and if an opportunity arises to further develop the audiovisual industry here, including any changes relating to computer games development, I will make the necessary amendments to the Irish Film Board Act.
Given the great opportunities available in this area, it should not be excluded from the provisions of the legislation because it is a part of the general audiovisual sector. Similarly, if there are recommended changes required to the section 481 scheme, I will bring immediate proposals to the Minister for Finance seeking his approval and agreement.
I welcome the two positive comments made by the Minister on computer games development, a sector which clearly has the potential to be a major industry. The House will acknowledge the brilliant recent success of small Irish film makers and a part of the gaming industry. Given their important role in this area, did the video or gaming industry have any input into the programme for building Ireland's smart economy?
The industry had a role in the sense that the audiovisual sector, which embraces the entire film sector, receives a strong mention in the programme. I envisage opportunities to develop film distribution and associated activities into something akin to the International Financial Services Centre, albeit not on the same scale. One of our foremost film directors, Jim Sheridan, indicated to me that Ireland has a unique opportunity to become the centre of film distribution for Europe. I understand Germany attempted to achieve this objective some time ago but its efforts did not come to fruition for various reasons. Ireland could achieve this objective if we put together a proper plan. The matter is being examined.
The Deputy's point on the video games sector is equally valid. The most successful film ever made, "Avatar", which I would like to watch to see what impact it makes, features a phenomenal amount of computer enhancement. It would be wrong to suggest computer games are different from film given that the same skills are involved. The view that the computer games sector should be considered part of the audiovisual sector is becoming more and more legitimate.
I welcome the positive approach the Minister is taking to this issue. The boundary between ordinary digital animation film and gaming is gradually disappearing. While gaming is a complete mystery to me, the marriage of creativity and high technology involved in it makes it a perfect outlet for young Irish people.
I have been informed that the education side of the gaming sector needs to be strengthened. Will the Minister discuss this possibility with the Minister for Education and Science? Some of the young people nominated for academy awards studied at the Ballyfermot College of Further Education and in Carlow. If we want to establish a new centre similar to the International Financial Services Centre, we must ensure the educational aspect of the audiovisual sector is strengthened. While gaming is high-tech it has low capital investment requirements. It does not require large studios such as Ardmore Studios, for example, and work can be done in a back shed on the Long Mile Road. For this reason, significant investment should be made in the educational element. I ask the Minister to speak to his colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, on the matter.
I have no difficulty agreeing with the Deputy. It is extraordinary that the chap who has been nominated for an Oscar was nurtured and his skills incubated in Ballyfermot. This shows that the sector has the ability to reach across all sections of society and that enormous talent is available. We must, however, find pathways for people to access the necessary training and education skills. I have been discussing this matter with the Department of Education and Science and will continue to do so.
The audiovisual sector is worth more than €500 million per annum and employs 6,500 people. Although these figures only scratch the surface of the industry's capacity, they show what we have achieved within a short period. Of the 6,500 people working in the industry, approximately 85% of them are employed in the independent sector, while the remaining 15% are employed in broadcasting. This is the correct split and indicates that the sector is not confined to the State apparatus, as it were. I was also surprised to learn that 567 companies operate in the sector. If, however, we are to take the industry to the next level, we must up our game in all areas. That is the challenge facing audiovisual policy.
I acknowledge the work of Ballyfermot College of Further Education. Located in my constituency, the college continues to do exceptionally well and I wish it well in future. It has great potential.
Speaking at the global Irish economic forum, Sir Gerry Robinson called for the introduction of a five year tax holiday to incentivise companies to settle in Ireland. France and Canada have provided generous tax breaks for such companies. Does the Minister support Mr. Robinson's proposal?
The Deputy raises an interesting question. The use of tax breaks can be very positive, although they have not always worked and may have been available for too long in some areas. Nevertheless, it is wrong to take a general view that no tax breaks should be provided.
I agree with Sir Gerry Robinson that we must be able to compete internationally, as we do through section 481, and must be ahead of developments internationally if we want to strengthen the industry. When we introduced section 481 it was copied by many other countries as they tried to win business. There is legitimate scope for action.
In fairness to the Minister for Finance, he publicly acknowledged that of all the tax incentives we fought over for the 2009 budget, the outstanding success was section 481 which is provided to the film industry. The reason was that the level of production in the sector and its return to the economy were visible. We should not be afraid to extend the scope of the sector and identify what type of additional revenue and job creation the audiovisual sector can secure for the country. The sector is an excellent example of how Ireland could be positioned and fits extremely well with the smart economy.
71 Deputy Bernard Allen asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress made in the assessment of the General Post Office complex as a feasible location for the redeveloped national theatre; the timescale envisaged for the assessment of this alternative site; and when a report will be submitted to Government on the proposal. [8091/10]
148 Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress that has been made in the assessment of the General Post Office complex as a feasible location for the redeveloped national theatre; the timescale that is envisaged for the assessment of this alternative site; when a report will be submitted to him on the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8345/10]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 148 together.
The development of a new national theatre project is a complex undertaking. There are a myriad of technical, procedural and legal factors to address in making progress on it. The successful delivery of this project is a priority for my Department and the Government in the renewed programme for Government and national development plan. A considerable amount of technical, legal and financial due diligence was undertaken since the original announcement of the project to ensure the project was progressed and the best solution possible was put in place.
In that regard, the Office of Public Works, my Department and the Abbey Theatre, with relevant external technical input, has commenced an assessment of the GPO complex to ascertain if it is a feasible location for the redeveloped national theatre. As I indicated previously, I have good information available to me which indicates that it is a feasible location. While I do not envisage any difficulties in achieving this outcome, the matter must be examined independently by the Office of Public Works.
The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and An Post are also engaged in the process and a number of meetings have been held to date under the chairmanship of a senior official from my Department. As indicated, many technical issues involved in such an assessment but I wish to bring the report to Government quickly. I believe this move can be achieved. It is potentially a wonderful location and in terms of O'Connell Street and central Dublin it could be a fantastic outcome.
I raised this matter relatively recently but it was the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, who responded to the question and I wanted to discuss it with the Minister again. I have no problem with relocating the Abbey Theatre to the GPO. It is probably a very good location but why is it moving from Abbey Street? We are losing the eponymous value of having the Abbey Theatre in Abbey Street. It is an internationally renowned name. Regardless of where one goes in the world, those in theatre know about the Abbey Theatre. Will moving it from Abbey Street undermine its value? What was the original thinking in moving it? Was it because of the disruption the building works would cause? We have other theatres which could fill the gap during the construction stage. What was behind the thinking that the Abbey Theatre had to move from its current location?
One of the frustrating aspects of this issue is that it has been going on for years. Is the move to the GPO just another red herring to postpone a decision? The Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, said the money would not be wasted and that all the research done on the site in the Docklands was not site specific but I do not believe that. This was a waterside site down in the docks. This was a refurbishment site. In terms of going back to the drawing board, is there any timescale for this project and is it still proposed to do it by way of a public private partnership? Does the Minister have any idea when it will start? Will it start during the lifetime of this Government, if the Minister knows how long that will be?
It will have to if it is to meet the target date because it will very much form part of the 2016 celebrations. We have an obvious target date.
The main reason for moving it, and I have looked at many aspects of it, is the type of training facilities a modern national theatre needs. It needs a minimum of two theatres for training etc. as well as all the ancillary facilities. The specification was done with the Abbey Theatre, benchmarked internationally and completed. That is easily transferable from the site on the quays to the GPO because the specification does not change. That is why we can do a quick examination at the GPO to see if this fits, so to speak. As I said to the Deputy, I had a lot of work done on this and I gave that specification. I was asked about it, somebody had a look at it and it does work. The original reason was that the current site does not have the physical capacity for all the modern facilities required by a national theatre.
Is there any property available in any area?
It was felt strongly by those in the Abbey Theatre that they would like to move to a greenfield site or a new large site that affords a fresh start with all of the necessary facilities. Ironically, the GPO has that because there is only the shell at the front and the side; the rest of it is an enormous space that can be made available and demolished. It is a significant space. It was not a ministerial or a Government decision that it should move. A collective view was taken by the board members of the Abbey, and I believe everyone involved, that for a national theatre its future could not be achieved to the level they wanted in its current site.
I had the same question regarding the timing of the project and how long it is likely to take. I do not expect the Minister to have the figure to hand today but how much has the research, providing the specification and so on cost to date?
I had a figure; I thought I gave it on the last occasion. It was not——
It was €220,000.
Yes. It was not overly significant and as I said, the specification and everything else has been agreed, and that was scaled. There was an enormous amount of changes, argument and debate about scale, size, what was and was not required etc. and all of that has been completed. At this point I would hope to have this report very quickly. I want it. I have asked the Office of Public Works to complete it and we can make a decision. I would like to go to Government with this to finalise it.
Do any of the theatre people have any strong opposing views in terms of the GPO site? My personal view is that it is probably a very good site and is a positive move but some theatre people might have a slightly different view on that.
The general view of people in the Abbey Theatre comes back to what Deputy Mitchell said. The bottom line is that they want a new theatre with all the modern facilities, and they want it done. If it is to be done in the GPO I have had no huge objection expressed to me about. There is a rationale for it and the bottom line is that we should get on with it and build it because we have been talking about it for so long. All of the issues that arose in the past 12 months regarding the Dublin docklands site were beginning to make it even more impossible. To be honest, I doubt if it ever would have happened at that location.
Is An Post open to the idea of moving out of that site? Also, a site like that in the middle of O'Connell Street should not be used just for night time events. It must have a day time purpose——
Absolutely.
——such as matinees and so on but it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that we could have a post office on the site as well.
That would be the intention, Deputy.
Is An Post happy to vacate or——
I have not had a negative view expressed to me in discussions. It is a State company. I have no doubt that a nostalgic view would be taken with regard to the GPO but we must make the right decision for the country. I believe everyone would accept there is no need to have a post office of that scale in the middle of O'Connell Street but historically it has a role in that location. I agree with the Deputy that it must have facilities that will be open day and night, with many people passing through and much activity taking place. It needs to be part of a café society and so on. All of that should fill part of a new facility.
72 Deputy Deirdre Clune asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the action he will take to support the tourism industry in view of the 1 million drop in overseas visitors here in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8128/10]
73 Deputy Simon Coveney asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the potential growth for the tourism market in 2010 and beyond in view of the fall off in same. [8140/10]
75 Deputy Brian O’Shea asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the tourism figures from 2009; if he foresees recovery in figures during 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7878/10]
76 Deputy Michael Noonan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the competitiveness challenges outlined in the National Competitiveness Council’s recent report Ireland’s competitiveness challenge creating a better future; the difficulties such challenge poses for the tourism industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8165/10]
84 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the action he has taken to create a climate conductive to growth and competitiveness in the tourism sector; the degree to which he has evaluated the cost factors; the action he proposes arising therefrom; if he has identified strategies for the future short , medium or long-term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8177/10]
153 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the steps he has taken or intends to take to improve the competitiveness in the tourism industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8419/10]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 73, 75, 76, 84 and 153 together.
The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show a reduction of 12% in the number of overseas visitors to Ireland for the first 11 months of 2009 compared to the corresponding period of 2008. Tourism worldwide saw a significant downturn in the second half of 2008, which continued into 2009, due to the global economic slowdown and loss of consumer confidence. Outbound trips from Great Britain were particularly affected, with the euro-sterling exchange rate making it extremely challenging to attract visitors to Ireland, and indeed eurozone destinations generally.
There is little doubt that 2010 will also be a challenging year for tourism. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that, despite the downturn, millions of people across the world will take holidays this year. I know the industry and the tourism agencies are fighting hard for every bit of this business. It is in that spirit that Tourism Ireland is targeting growth of 3% in visitor numbers to Ireland in 2010, which is a fairly brave move but it reflects the confidence and the level of investment in marketing that is going on.
To assist the tourism sector, an extensive range of marketing, product development, festival and sporting events, training and business supports are being put in place by the tourism State agencies under the tourism services budget of the Department. This increased allocation of public resources in the current difficult budgetary position is clear recognition by Government of the important role the tourism and hospitality sector will play in Ireland's economic recovery. It will also ensure that the level and value of investment in overseas marketing of Ireland can be maintained in real terms, as recommended by the tourism renewal group.
A total of €26 million is being invested by Tourism Ireland in a marketing drive in the first half of the year, including the biggest ever promotional programme of activities to showcase Ireland during the St. Patrick's Day period. Already, agreement has been secured to "green" iconic buildings and attractions like the London Eye, the CN Tower in Toronto, the Sydney Opera house and others. Tourism Ireland will be focusing on those major markets that are likely to deliver immediate returns this year, including Great Britain, Germany and the United States, as research has shown these markets are our best prospects.
On the domestic front, Fáilte Ireland has committed to its largest ever home holiday marketing programme as a central plank in its strategy to increase the home market share of the overall Irish leisure break market. On the business tourism front, the opening of the National Convention Centre in Dublin in September will further enhance our capacity to attract international events. Fáilte Ireland is also working closely with tourism businesses all over Ireland, supporting enterprises and helping them to achieve real cost savings and efficiencies.
In terms of our ability to compete in the international arena in the future, maintaining and enhancing competitiveness is a major issue for Irish tourism as it is for the economy as a whole. In addressing that issue, it is important to bear in mind that competitiveness is about more than price and costs. The tourism agencies continue to monitor Ireland's competitiveness as a tourism destination and I am encouraging them to assist the industry in responding to changing conditions as appropriate. In 2010, great value, distinctive holiday offers are a key focus of both tourism agency's marketing campaigns.
While I know that our businesses and tourism agencies are responding positively to current challenges, it is just as important that the strategic framework for tourism development responds to the changing environment.
Drawing on the report of the tourism renewal group, I am determined, as I have already indicated in my reply to an earlier priority question, to drive the right measures to position the tourism sector for recovery and growth as the Irish and global economies get back on track.
I am sure the Minister is sick of hearing me talk about the airport departure tax, which I have referred to at every available opportunity since its introduction. On each occasion I raise it with the Minister, he tells me that people he has spoken to abroad and in Ireland are of the view that it is not having an impact on tourism. That is because the impact is on the airlines. The tax is not charged to travellers but is absorbed by the airlines, to the tune of €91 million to date. Most of that sum has been collected from the two largest Irish airlines, Aer Lingus and Ryanair. Whatever about the latter, Aer Lingus can no longer continue to absorb a tax of that magnitude, which is merely adding to the company's losses.
Deputy Upton referred to the chart we received from Mr. Michael O'Leary and which is no doubt drawn with a particular story to tell. However, there is no denying that Ireland is suffering far more than anywhere else in terms of loss of capacity. Important as that is, the tragic aspect is that we lost 24 destinations in the last year. That is catastrophic for the industry. The new chief executive officer of Tourism Ireland spoke last week at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs about the body's new promotion campaign in Germany. The Minister has said it is important to maintain the marketing budget, but what is the point of marketing if people cannot get here? The chief executive officer told the committee that just as he was about to launch the marketing plan, he discovered that eight destinations included in the plan no longer offered flights to Ireland. This is more important than any other issue. If tourists cannot get to Ireland, all the marketing in the world is for nought. People are not willing to make two or three flight connections to get here.
As an island nation, air access to this country is more crucial than it is for those European countries which enjoy easy land access. The loss of air routes to us is unquestionably a negative because we need access to as many places as we can and we need as many places as possible to have access to us. There is no doubt that there has been a reduction in the number of services. The airline industry is suffering nationally and internationally in terms of its ability to maintain its profitability and to meet its own demands and commitments. This has seen a retrenchment not only in Ireland but internationally.
Another issue of concern is that a third bloc has been formed on the transatlantic route, but Aer Lingus is not part of any of these blocs. The alliance between American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia Airlines represents the advent of another significant player. My concern is that it is difficult for a small airline like Aer Lingus to compete outside one of these large blocs. It is not for me to tell Aer Lingus what to do, but I hope its broad strategy includes a consideration of how it may form part of one of those blocs. I understand it has a relationship with JetBlue, which is a significant player in the economy market in the United States. Nevertheless, it is clear that the Atlantic route will become more and more competitive. It is also clear that the Atlantic route is extremely important to Ireland, as was pointed out to me not only by Aer Lingus but also by the major United States airlines that fly into Ireland.
I have expressed my concerns in this regard to the Minister for Transport and have emphasised that we must maintain as many routes as possible. Those routes are the lifeblood of our economy, and the key flag carrier in that regard is Aer Lingus. In the United States market in particular, Aer Lingus remains a significant brand image for the country. I sincerely hope the company keeps that to the forefront in terms of its future market development strategy and that it has a particular focus on the United States market. I put an enormous amount of work in as Minister for Transport, with the support of Deputies, in seeking to achieve an agreement on open skies. We were strongly of the view it would benefit Ireland, particularly from the United States. We have not yet seen the fruits of that and there are opportunities there to exploit.
I accept there has been a retrenchment worldwide but the reality is that we are suffering more than most and it is more important to us than most because we are an island. Talking to the Minister for Transport occasionally is not enough. The Minister, Deputy Cullen, will have to drive this issue with the Minister for Finance. Apart from the damage it is doing to the airlines, it is sending out the wrong message. Mr. Michael O'Leary may not need excuses to remove destinations but the Government is handing him such an excuse on a plate. I accept that the United States and United Kingdom markets are very important, but there is huge potential in the European market. European tourists are traditionally culture seekers and we should seek to attract them. Most of the routes we have lost are into Europe.
Ironically, the routes into Europe grew last year in spite of the difficulties in the industry. The potential for the Italian, French and Nordic markets is substantial. We spoke earlier about the phenomenal potential in the Asian market if we can get the visa situation resolved. One of the developments required at Dublin Airport is to ensure the runway is long enough for aeroplanes to come in directly from Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing, Sydney and so on. When people travel the long distances from those destinations to London, they do not want to have to take another flight to Ireland. We need direct access not only with our own carriers but with other carriers.
I acknowledge the difficulties in terms of getting into the country and our lack of destinations and so on. However, I wish to speak from my own experience of deciding last summer to become a tourist in Dublin for three days. It was an interesting experience but I can only conclude that tourists are driven demented by the lack of integrated ticketing. I am aware this is the responsibility of other agencies but from a tourism point of view, it must be tackled sooner rather than later. How does the Minister see this being moved forward? We have been hearing about it for years but developments have been limited.
In regard to the Asia market and other non-European markets, we have a long way to go to get up to speed in terms of our translation services in comparison with the standards of other European countries. For example, it would be useful to have a broad array of language translations for tourists on tour buses and so on.
I have not heard any specific complaint in regard to translation services. In terms of European languages, we can always do better but the level of proficiency is generally quite good. Tourism Ireland has put a new location into the Middle East in order to develop the Middle East and Far East markets. If we are to be successful in that regard, we must be able to cater for people who speak the languages of those regions. I have no doubt we will be able to achieve that but we must first have the programmes in place. Notwithstanding the global downturn, we have already seen the positive results of airlines travelling from Ireland into the Middle East via Abu Dhabi. That is an indication of the potential for the future.
I agree with both Deputies that the visa issue is a very difficult one. We do not want to end up in a situation where we are largely servicing economic tourists who have no intention of leaving the country. On the other hand, we must equally acknowledge that there is a significant number of people from China and elsewhere who are legitimate tourists and are interested in experiencing the cultural aspects of Ireland at first hand.
That was a good excuse some years ago but the reality now is that it is Irish people who are emigrating to China, India and elsewhere rather than vice versa, so that should not be our major concern. I know the Minister does not have responsibility for visas but he must drive this as Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has no interest in this, it is interested in keeping people out of the country. We must get them in, however, and the Minister must drive that process. There has been a suggestion of a shared visa with Britain, where the British would do the scanning and research. Surely that would be good enough for us. Someone must grab this opportunity.
The Minister is meeting the industry about car rentals. This is boiling up and will become a real problem. By May it will not be possible to hire a car in Ireland if it is not already booked. The scrappage scheme means that leased cars are dearer than new cars so dealers are not interested in sourcing them for car hire businesses. The removal of the benefit that went to car hire providers through the VRT refund has been withdrawn this year. If the Minister could have a provision inserted into the Finance Bill to postpone it, it would be welcome. Both measures coming together will be catastrophic.
Since last year a significant problem has emerged in the car rental industry. It is a lucrative industry because those tourists who rent cars tend to be high-end spenders. The number of cars available this year is having a real impact. The same is happening in the United States and Spain, where there is a major shortage because finance companies are not interested.
I have spoken to the Minister for Finance about this to see if we could find a mechanism to get the rental car that goes out for a couple of months then comes back in and is included as part of the scrappage scheme. That would have been helpful so I will talk to the Minister for Finance before next week. Deputies would support that because it is a crucial aspect of the tourism product that we must have available. We are probably not far off 25% of where we were in rental car numbers only two years ago at the peak. We do not need the peak numbers but the number of vehicles on the road should be somewhere in between. The finance companies, however, are not interested in financing.
I would like to hear what the Minister has to say about the significance of integrated ticketing.
I am familiar with this issue from my time in the Department of Transport. There is agreement between all the parties now. There were some elements of integrated ticketing emerging and my colleague, the Minister for Transport, is pushing to achieve this.
I agree, for ease of access for both tourists and Irish people, particularly in the capital, it would transform things to have a simple card to access all elements of public transport. Competitors in this market, as they previously saw themselves, would accept in a declining market that it is in all their interests to have easy access to public transport for all those who wish to use it.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
