I will take questions now and I suggest that we would take three Deputies first and then ask the Minister to respond.
Vote 35 — Tourism and Trade (Resumed).
On a point of order is there any briefing material? We were circulated with briefing material originally but if there are extra copies Members would welcome them.
Are there any questions on subheads C1 and C2?
Subhead C2 refers to the market development fund. I would like to ask the Minister about the Budget Statement vis-�-vis the textile industry and the continuance of a form of the market development fund to assist the textile industry which was subjected to an additional 5 per cent VAT. That was accompanied by the reduction of PRSI on low cost manufacturers and a change in the IDA grant-aid for machinery. Representatives of the trade met the Minister for Enterprise and Employment and, four months later, I would like to know what is happening with the market development fund vis-�-vis the textile industry? Last night there was a announcement of the immiment closure of another clothing factory. I am concerned that because of inaction people who are involved in this trade are being forced out of business. When can we expect definitive decisions on the announcements in the budget to assist the textile industry?
In view of the fact that the Minister has set a target of an increase in indigenous exports from £3.7 billion on the 1992 figure to £5.5 billion for 1996, will he outline the various measures he intends to introduce to do that and the budget he has allocated to ensure he will reach his targets? I remind the Minister that every £1 export of an indengenous industry is worth £2 as against exports by multinationals to the Irish economy as regards value-added.
I referred previously to the green spot campaign in Germany. An Bord Tráchtála have been working on it and making exporters familiar with it. Will the Minister comment on it and explain the effectiveness of the campaign by An Bord Tráchtála to date in making Irish firms familiar with the campaign and the implications for Irish exporters. I would appreciate the Minister's views on that.
Minister for Tourism and Trade (Mr. McCreevy): With regard to the point made by Deputy Hughes on the textile industry, my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Deputy Quinn, is preparing some proposals on this. He met with people in the textile industry and at various stages a number of Ministers have met people in that industry and are aware of their problems. It would only be fair to say that the problems of the textile industry are fairly far ranging. One relates to their competitive costs. Deputy Quinn will be bringing forward proposals in this regard. I know that Deputies on all sides are concerned that this would happen soon but I hope that Deputy Quinn will be in a position to announce some initiatives in the near future.
Regarding what Deputy Deenihan said, I will deal first with the point he made about the German packaging regulations. The German Government initiated proposals in that regard from January 1993 and they cover everything produced in Germany. There are no exclusions regarding packaging. The German Government introduced new regulations covering the disposal of packaging which aim to reduce the volume of waste produced in Germany from 32 million tonnes per annum to 16 million tonnes per annum. The new packaging regulations affect manufacturers, distributors and retailers and every exporter to Germany must be mindful of them. An Bord Tráchtála organised a number of seminars around the country to familiarise exporters in this regard. I opened one of them in Belfield some months ago. Those exporting to Germany must be aware of the regulations. There has been a large attendance at each seminar because exporters to Germany are aware of the regulations. The German Government introduced these regulations without exemptions which is something from which we could learn a lesson. The regulations apply to everybody and Irish companies who have been dealing with Germany for some time are pretty familiar with them. An Bord Tráchtála also has a helpline service and has gone to much trouble to brief exporters. There is every likelihood that the German regulations will form part of an EC directive. It is more than likely that this type of regulation will apply throughout the European community. All Irish exporters should be aware of them because it is likely to be the situation right across Europe in the short to medium term.
Deputy Deenihan asked how we are going to increase business exports over the next number of years. Business exports in 1993 are expected to amount to £3.7 billion. It is hoped to increase that figure to £5.5 billion over the next five years. That will be achieved in a number of ways. An Bord Tráchtála grant-aid for 1993 is up by 11 per cent on the 1992 figure. I have set in place a number of programmes which should help indigenous Irish firms enter the export market. I launched a number of programmes some months ago. There are various grants available from An Bord Tráchtála. If small or medium sized Irish firms are to grow they have to seek a market for their produce; the Irish market is too small. We are confident that the targets will be met this year. I am expecting a 12 per cent increase in indigenous exports in 1993.
Following the trends over the past few years, notwithstanding any hurricanes that might be around the corner, I am confident that the targets set for exports from indigenous Irish firms will be reached.
We will now take questions on subhead D.1 and D.2.
I wish to raise a question about grants to the car hire sector for 1992. Will the Minister outline how that scheme will operate? Over recent years, there have been problems regarding availability of cars for the tourist market at peak times. I would have supported the view that the temporary importation of cars should be allowed but I know the Minister for Finance has adamantly ruled that out for whatever reasons. There were serious shortages of cars last year, scare tactics were used to suggest that many tourists were being turned away and that we were not able to accommodate the numbers of people who wanted to come here. Will the Minister, in the middle of the tourist season, outline the effect of that once off grant?
I understand that the grant for car hire put about 1,300 cars on the market and it would seem to have been very successful. In view of the threat of a problem this year in that the vehicle tax referral system that has been put in place probably will not have much effect, does the Minister think this scheme should be extended? It is too early to predict with certainty whether there will be a shortage of car hire this year but the likelihood is that there will be a shortage.
How effective was the special grant of over £2 million for the major Seville exercise? Was a cost benefit analysis done? As a result of our attendance at that major exhibition have our exports to Spain and other countries significantly increased?
At this stage it would be wise to also take subhead F Appropriations-in-aid.
Will the Minister explain under subhead F, the significant reduction of 57 per cent over 1992? I am not sure what exactly is meant by the heading.
The Minister will include this in his response.
Deputy Haughey raised a question about car hire. He is entitled to do so because even though there is no figure for this year, there was a figure for last year under this particular heading, even though car hire relates to tourist activity of the Department. In 1992 the Government decided to give a limited grant to encourage car hire fleet operators to put more cars on the market. As I explained on many occasions the Irish car hire business has a number of difficulties. From the tourist point of view the real problem comes at a certain time every year, usually a four to six week period, when there is a peak in demand and the number of cars in the car hire fleet is not sufficient to meet that demand. From a car fleet operator's point of view it would not make economic or business sense to buy cars and to have them parked in a car hire fleet if they can only be leased at that time of the year. There has been a shortfall, as Deputy Haughey said, for a number of years because of the concentration into a four and six week period of this intensive demand. In response to that difficulty of the car hire fleet, the Government in 1992 decided to give a grant. In 1993 the Government has decided to approach it in another way.
The question was legitimately asked, why not proceed with the grant again? The answer is, the grant was successful in bringing a certain number of cars into the market at that period but people operating the scheme, the car fleet merchants, would have preferred a different approach. Even though they availed of the grant they thought another approach should be tried. The Department of Finance prefer exact figures and probably in its normal logical way of doing things, it would prefer a grant and stating that there is, perhaps, £1 million or £2 million available.
The scheme was reasonably successful last year but, as Deputy Haughey correctly pointed out, it did not get over that peak period. I do not think we will ever get to a situation where we can get over that peak demand because it will arise every year. We will try to limit it as best as possible and that is why this year the Government brought forward the vehicle registration tax referral scheme. The fleet operators think, that will give them a better financial incentive to bring cars into the car hire fleet on a longer term basis and that it should work.
I have to be honest and state that I do not know whether it will solve the problem in 1993. I do not think we will ever solve all the problems because the cost of car hire in Ireland is higher than in any other European country. This is because of insurance, the cost of cars, taxation and so on. The cost of car hire in Ireland is colossal. It is not that the fleet operators are anxious to get into the business and increase their business. The evidence over the past number of years indicates that people are getting out of that area of activity because it is not an easy business to make pay. We hope the VRT renewal scheme this year will have the effect of lessening the problem of the last number of years. In the longer term I do not know whether it will solve the problem.
The car fleet people think it will be an improvement on last year's situation and I hope that will be the case.
Deputy Haughey raised the question of temporary importation. He correctly pointed out that there are a number of objections to temporary importation, not just from the Department of Finance who police the system, but from people within the fleet operating system and the motor dealers of Ireland. There are many difficulties in that regard. There are many pros in favour of Deputy Haughey's idea about temporary importation but there are also negatives. I hope the VRT scheme will be an improvement on last year and we will then examine it again.
Deputy Deenihan also raised the question of car hire, a matter I have covered. He also raised the question of Seville because there was a grant-in-aid for the Seville Expo '92. It was a once off operation and he asked whether there was any evidence that Ireland's exports had increased as a result. One cannot quantify a large exhibition like that and state whether Irish exports will increase in the long term. Irish firms would not have gone and been represented there unless we thought it was good for the image of the country. It gave a window of opportunity to our exporters and business people. I presume they were happy with it and I presume the reason these shows are held is because it has been proved that they increase business.
Deputy Creed asked about the appropriations-in-aid. That is money coming into the Department. It is substracted from the overall Estimate and the figure this year is £270,000. That is income the Department receives and it is made up of the following: fees under the market entry and development scheme; the premiums in fees paid under the export guarantee insurance scheme, and recoupment from the European Community of air fares in respect of officials, travel to meetings of council, etc.
There is £60,000 expected from the old scheme of market entry and development. Members might have noticed under another subhead that this scheme has not been in operation for a number of years but there was an income to the Department if companies increased their sales. We expect £60,000 from that this year and that should end it because the scheme ceased a number of years ago. The money expected for the fees in respect of premiums paid for export credit insurance is £100,000. The balance of the money will come from the expected recoupment from the European Community in respect of air fares for travel by officials and everything else connected with meetings of the European Council, internal market councils and various other sub-committee meetings that officials have to travel to Brussells and Luxembourg to attend.
Briefly, regarding the question of grants and car hir problems would the Minister accept that this problem is simply a barometer of our failure to develop Ireland as a destination for tourism and holidaying over 12 months and of the failure to extend the tourist season? Will he accept that it is not a problem in isolation but it is a larger indictment of his Department and tourism interests throughout the country for their failure to ensure Ireland is an attractive destination for holiday makers in cars on a 12 month basis. That would resolve the problem to a certain extent. That car hire operators find themselves in this annual predicament is simply a barometer of our large-scale failure.
Deputy Creed is absolutely correct. If we could spread the tourist season over 12 months rather than having the peak in the middle of the summer and develop the non-peak season, the difficulties with car hire and many other problems in the tourist industry would be solved. Part of the programme for my period in office would be to develop the off-peak tourism season.
If we could stretch the season we would greatly increase the number of jobs. First, people would be employed all year in hotels and other tourist related centres but also a number of new jobs would be created and there would be a tremendous boost to the economy. In the next tranche of development funds from the European Community I will seek help to develop the market to stretch the tourist season. Perhaps the Department, Bord Fáilte and the public could all take blame for this problem for the past number of years. However, it is not for want of trying that the season has not been extended. Such a development would give a major boost to economic activity in the country, by increasing jobs and lessening unemployment. The problems of the car hire industry would be solved because, as the Deputy rightly said, car fleet operators would be able to have a set number of cars throughout the year and peaking would not be a problem. Everyone would make money, including the Government, because it would collect more taxes.
All Ministers with responsibility for tourism and Bord Fáilte have for many years aimed to extend the season. The season has lengthened but not as much as we would like. Ireland should not be sold as a holiday spot or for price competitiveness in meals and activities but as an all year destination. We have a temperate climate for 365 days so we should be able to sell Ireland and we hope to be able to do so within the next couple of years.
I am deputising for Deputy Rabbitte so I am not sure if I am in order. Will the Minister answer a question about nominations to State boards or setting up bodies over the period of these Estimates? The Minister for Equality and Law Reform said when his Estimates were being discussed the Government had agreed to be committed to 40 per cent representation by women. Yesterday in the Dáil debate the Minister of State with responsibility for rural development in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry stated he saw this only as a guideline.
There seems to be a conflict. One Minister says it is a guideline and another says it is a full commitment. Will the Minister clarify whether he sees it as a guideline or whether he is committed to ensuring 40 per cent representation for women on any State boards or bodies he is involved in nominating.
I wish to remind the Deputy we are considering the Estimates and her question does not come under any particular subhead.
Will the Minister be making nominations during the year?
I do not think it is an issue to be discussed when we are specifically dealing with the Estimates.
In the car hire industry 4,000 cars have been lost through the departure of Hertz and Avis over the past four to five years and through the collapse of the firm in Tipperary. One of the problems is those have never been replaced. Whereas we must try to extend the season we cannot tell that to our clients in Europe or the rest of the world when they come to visit Ireland. The prime holiday periods for everyone are the last two weeks in July and the first two weeks of August.
It is not true to say extending the season may solve this problem. We solve it by ensuring there are more cars at peak season. I have proposed this on a number of occasions and I am glad that Deputy Haughey has supported that idea. We should allow temporary importation of cars to see if it will be successful.
On the Estimates the grant scheme the Minister operated last year was successful because it put 1,300 cars on the road. There is no reason that scheme should not be restored next year. He should seek to do so when putting forward proposals for Estimates, becasuse it was effective.
I do not believe, a grant scheme in itself will make any particular contribution in this area. The difficulty with car hire and the availability of cars during the peak season is more related to taxation and the cost of cars to individual companies. The Minister has accepted earlier that it is high.
If the Department of Finance does not acknowledge what he is doing cannot be isolated from motor taxation in Ireland and the availability of cars, the Minister will have an almost impossible task. If Ireland is to become competitive in attracting tourists we must be able to say the facilities, including motoring, are available at a reasonable cost.
It is difficult to extend the peak or traditional holiday period into the "shoulder" seasons for a number of reasons. It is internationally accepted there is a particular period in the year people go on holidays. Outside of that time people would go to some parts of Europe for a particular type of holiday. Does the Minister intend to examine the type of holiday product to be promoted in the off-season? That needs to be identified so we can at least establish if there is a market for that sort of holdiay in Ireland. Otherwise we may be involved in rhetoric and in believing that something is attainable or achievable when it is little more than fantasy.
If it is possible the Minister is certainly proceeding correctly but he cannot act separately from the Department of Finance. Officials there perceive their interests are served by adhering to strict guidelines in these areas. However, it does not make for competivive tourism or the development of opportunities here if the facilities will not be available because of taxation.
I wish to ask the Minister two questions. Given the success of the Seville Expo' 1992, has the Department any plans to expand in the United States for example? Expansion seems to be mainly on the east coast. Within a 50 mile radius of any of those cities, they are bordered by water, whereas in the midwest there is a huge untapped Irish potential within a 50 mile radius of any major city.
The second point is that under US legislation zones within a certain latitude and longitude and under a certain population can become tariff free zones. One country will be recognised as such a zone by the United States in 1996, due to a huge political lobby there. Nobody has as huge a political lobby in the United States as the Irish. Has the Department pursued the possibility of trying to make this country a tariff free zone?
I would like to put on record my disappointment that the Department and An Bord Tráchtála——
May I draw the Deputy's attention to the fact that we have dealt with subhead C1, C2, D1 and D2. We are discussing subheads E and F.
I did not have an opportunity to make a contribution the last day.
That is not the point, Deputy. The Deputy has been ruled out of order.
How can I be out of order?
It is out of order because we have already dealt with the matter. We decided to go into one programme in detail. There was no objection to taking each individual subhead. We have discussed subhead C.2.
It is a matter of policy.
It is a matter of punctuality, Deputy. We have gone beyond that. It is unfair of the Deputy to expect me to go back on what we have considered.
If you do not mind, I waited for over two hours at the last meeting to speak on the matter relevant to employment, that is the possibility of the Department supporting small businesses get off the ground. I am disappointed, given we are still under the general heading, not to be afforded the opportunity to raise it. My constituents who are out of work and other people——
There will be more of them out of work.
We have been here since 2 p.m. and if the Deputy had come in time he could have been given the time to discuss the matter. I have to proceed, Deputy.
Can I not raise it under subhead E?
I will have to proceed. The Deputy will have an opportunity on Friday when we are discussing the Estimate for the Department of Enterprise and Employment.
Under subhead E on An Bord Tráchtála, I am disappointed that, under the mechanism available, we are not able to respond to the needs of people who want to get into business.
I know of four people who mortgaged their houses and sought a market in the United States in gift wear. They went to various cities in the southern states seeking 500 outlets. I am not blaming the Minister and his officials, but a mechanism is needed to help people who want to generate employment and profit support has to be provided and I regret that the Minister's Department did not help these people.
I have a letter, from a business as do An Bord Tráchtála, showing that after 18 months of trying to get help from some Department they have nearly gone out of business. They have lost everything, although there was a market for their product: that is the most worrying feature of this. I worry for these people and others like them, because they will not take risks in the future without support from the Department.
Deputies Deenihan and Doherty raised the question of car hire again. Deputy Deenihan put this point before to me, regarding reintroducing the grant for 1993. As I pointed out, the grant scheme is tied for 1992. It was reasonably successful, but the people in the business were anxious to have the other scheme. We have tried various schemes and ideas over the years and whereas the grant scheme had some limited effect —£775,000 was paid out as indicated in the out-turn for 1992 — it is believed the VRT rebate scheme will be more effective for people in the car hire business.
Regarding temporary importation, I explained earlier there are good reasons put for trying that, but there are also major objections to it. I do not mind either Deputy Haughey, Deputy Deenihan or Deputy Doherty making a case in the future for temporary importation. I have an open mind on it, but there are also drawbacks to it; it will ultimately be a decision for the Government. However, the Deputies should bear in mind that if they make the case for temporary importation too loudly they will have interest groups, particularly, motor dealers, on their backs. I am flexible and I do not deny the bona fides of what the Deputies say, but one should remember there are negatives to it.
Deputy Doherty made the legitimate point, which I refered to earlier, that the cost of having cars here is one of the major constraining factors, and it is not the poeple in the car hire business who are making money. A number of Deputies pointed to the evidence that people are getting out of the business, rather than entering it. This is creating some difficulties, because of the costs of cars here and the cost of car hire.
The cost of cars and insurance and the number of claims etc., make it expensive to hire a car in Ireland the highest in the European Community. Many tourists now come on fly-drive holidays and further development is constrained by the cost of car hire. Deputy Doherty made some interesting points regarding taxation and the lowering of tax. I am afraid that is a matter for another day, but there is some justification in what he said. It is one of the constraining factors affecting car hire.
The report of the tourism task force recommended setting up specialist product development companies. Bord Fáilte is doing that in the areas of golf, angling and heritage, because Ireland as a tourist destination must sell itself differently from anywhere else. We are not a sun spot and, as I said, we are not the cheapest place to visit and, therefore, we must develop other activities. The plan for the past five years has been to develop special interest holidays, because that is where there is growth in the market.
The growth in the market for Irish tourism over the past five years has been primarily from continental Europe, particularly from Germany. These tourists come because of special interests. We are familiar with people coming for golf and other sporting activities, but increasing numbers are coming to visit heritage centres and historical spots and to look at places where famous Irish writers came from. These are special interest activity holidays. It is the product Bord Fáilte must develop as it is a growth area in tourism. Throughout the world people are losing interest in the idea of a sun holiday and are considering special interest activity holidays. Other countries are also promoting such holidays. As Deputy Doherty has pointed out, this must be where growth is achieved in Irish tourism.
Deputy McDaid made a legitimate point regarding concentrating too much activity on the east coast of America. On balance I agree with him. However, within the past two weeks I jointly opened a successful trade exhibition in Chicago between An Bord Tráchtála and the Northern Ireland Trade Board. There were 112 companies represented, mostly in the giftware area with small to medium sized companies. There were 87 companies from the Republic of Ireland and 25 companies from Northern Ireland. There are eight states around Chicago and it is in the middle of the USA where there is a big market. The activities of An Bord Tráchtála over the coming year will be to diversify more into the mid-USA and farther afield to the west coast as there has been too much concentration on the east coast.
Deputy McDaid mentioned the success or otherwise of EXPO 1992 and asked how this can be increased next year. When Ireland qualify for the World Cup next year it should give a considerable boost to Irish business in the USA. The Deputy also mentioned the question of a tariff free zone. This does not apply any longer as, effectively, we are supposedly in a tariff free zone as part of the EC where all tariff barriers are being removed, leading to the liberalisation of trade. Deputy Seán Ryan realised a question in relation to a firm in north Dublin. The Deputy made a considerable number of representations over a long period to keep this company in business. He met with me on many occasions and meetings were held with An Bord Tráchtála. Unfortunately, it was not possible to enable the company to survive in the short term. In fairness to An Bord Tráchtála, they did everything in their power to assist the company.
Success and failures in business are part of every day life. The point he made that An Bord Tráchtála and State agencies should be able to respond very quickly to a business in trouble is legitimate. One of the dangers of setting up complex structures is that when an immediate hands-on approach is required it is not always possible. An Bord Tráchtála has an operation that can immediately respond to a particular difficulty. However, business must be able to survive in the commercial world and, unfortunately, the firm to which the Deputy referred was not able to survive.
The problem in relation to car hire is one of the most serious for tourism in rural areas. People arriving in Ireland who choose between Limerick or Belfast find that by coming to Limerick they may get a direct flight but it is extremely expensive to hire a car. If they come through Belfast they can hire the car more cheaply. Some friends of mine have stopped coming through Limerick because of the exorbitant car hire costs. The Minister should try to rectify that issue as it would improve the tourist potential of this country and help the airports also.
Under subhead E, Bord Fáilte received grants which, together with other moneys made available to the board under other headings, amounted to £26 million approximately. A former Taoiseach once gave as a personal opinion that rather than allocate approximately £26 million to Bord Fáilte, greater success might be achieved in developing tourism here if such moneys were divided amongst those in the industry and they were allowed to use that funding to promote the industry and operate more directly rather than have a State body such as Bord Fáilte spending money on administration and not on direct selling of the tourism product.
Does the Minister believe that we are getting the best value from the way millions of pounds have been spent through the operations of Bord Fáilte. In my area all the progressive hotels are actively and vigorously marketing their product in the marketplace, including travel abroad to sell their facilities. It is worth considering that they might have much greater success than the State organisations acting on their behalf, despite the fact that large sums of money are made available to the State organisations for that purpose.
I wish to make a point regarding the work of An Bord Tráchtála, and the market entry and development scheme which is being replaced by a new scheme. In my few visits to the southern States of the USA, many of the Irish Americans complain that there is vast potential for Irish goods in the region but that they never have any effective presence on behalf of Irish manufacturers. In other words, there appears to be a concentration by the State organisations along the east coast of the USA. There are large populations of Irish Americans in these southern States who express great interest in Ireland and who come here on holidays. They believe that many more would visit if there was a more vigorous campaign in that region to promote both Ireland as a tourism venue and Irish goods in their area. Will the Minister comment on this?
I wish to remind the Deputy that the Minister responded to that query before attending this meeting.
I do not believe the Minister responded to the question I put.
The question has been dealt with.
Deputy Crawford illustrated some facts regarding the reality of car hire. There is evidence that people are going to Belfast to hire cars and then to travel South. It is one of the reasons for the grants scheme last year and the VAT scheme this year. This situation arises because of the high cost of car hire which arises for the reasons I outlined earlier.
Deputy Doherty presented some interesting ideas as to how that cost could be reduced. These are matters for Government decisions in the area of taxation and other areas of Government activity such as insurance. Unfortunately, the Minister for Tourism alone cannot solve it. Otherwise grants for car hire operations would amount to millions of pounds and people would be inordinately subsidised.
Deputy Molloy queried the grant-in-aid to Bord Fáilte, which we discussed recently. I am aware of the comments made by the former Taoiseach about that matter and I realise that many people in the industry believe more money should be paid directly to the people in the industry who would do a better job marketing the product than Bord Fáilte. I think a case can be made for the two systems working in tandem. When we decide on the allocation of moneys for this Department from the Structural Funds, I will endeavour to ensure that some of it will go to operators in the industry for marketing purposes.
There is a saying in business that if something important must be done the task should be given to a busy person as he or she will do a better job. The only successful business people I have known did things for themselves. A hungry fighter will box a lot better than the fighter who has made plenty of money. A hungry football team will play better than teams that have won eight All-Irelands.
There is a case to be made for directing money for marketing to the person working in the industry. If that person has a business, marketing of the industry affects his money, his profits and the attitude of his bank manager who may be screaming down the telephone on a Monday morning, threatening to put him out of business. A hanging wonderfully concentrates the mind. Some money should be directed to operations in the industry to market themselves. However, Bord Fáilte is necessary as it is the selling agency for our country. It does excellent work and we need that agency. I hope the two systems can work in tandem.
I have answered Deputy Molloy's question about the east coast of America in my reply to Deputy McDaid. I agree that most of our trade and tourism activities are concentrated on the east coast of America and on other populated parts of the United States where there are considerable Irish ethnic groups. We hope to change that in the future.
I thank the Minister. I did not identify which former Taoiseach made the remark.
I was going to ask the Deputy if he was a member of the Government at the time.
He was.
I did not say who made the remark.
The Deputy wants to maintain Cabinet confidentiality.
Yes.
The Chairman could have put the question another way and asked what party, rather than Government, the Deputy was a member of at the time.
I thank the Chairman and Members for the constructive debates today and on 4 June. I hope there is a greater appreciation of how the moneys for this Department are being spent. The questions on tourism on both days were particularly illuminating and it is obvious that the Deputies and the Irish people are beginning to realise the potential of the tourism industry. Some of the Deputies have been involved in tourism in their constituencies for some time. However, there is greater general awareness of the potential for considerable expansion in all economic activity if we can increase the number of high spending tourists who visit this country.
I gave my concluding statement on 4 June and I will not repeat the points made then. I thank the Chairman for conducting the meetings so well.
That concludes the consideration of the Estimate for the Department of Tourism and Trade. I thank the Minister, his officials, our Clerk, Ms Cliona O'Rourke, and the Members of the select committee for their participation in the debate. The select committee will meet again on Friday, 25 June at 10.30 a.m. in the Dáil Chamber. We will discuss the Estimates for the Department of Enterprise and Employment and the briefing information has been circulated.
I remind Members that the resumed discussions on the Estimate for the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications will take place on Tuesday, 29 June in G2 at 2 p.m. If the time is not suitable we can meet at 2.30 p.m. Members should state now if 2 p.m. is too early.
Will the Chairman explain the agenda for Tuesday?
We have only concluded the Estimate for the Department of Energy. We will discuss the Estimate for the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications on that day.
I want to establish if we can discuss the Aer Lingus situation on Tuesday.
If it is within the programme and relevant to the subhead, it should be possible.
You are confirming that it will be possible?
We will discuss civil aviation under nine subheads so there will be scope for discussion of Aer Lingus.
I wanted to confirm that so there will be no misunderstanding next Tuesday.
It is not my intention to restrict the debate. That is not my job.
The Select Committee adjourned at 3.20 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Friday, 25 June 1993.