Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 July 2004
14 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the level of crime directed against tourists here; the response of his Department to crime against tourists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19695/04]
View answerWe have no official statistics on crime against tourists. From anecdotal reports and the general feedback received by the tourism agencies, there would not appear to be any significant incidence of such crime in Ireland.
Last year, the tourist victim support service, TVSS, dealt with some 357 cases of crimes against tourists, as against 344 in 2002. I understand the majority of the cases, 188, were in regard to theft but, regretfully, some 22 cases involved violence. These 22 cases should be seen in the context of well over six million visitors to Ireland in 2003.
I deplore any incidents of crime against tourists, who are a vulnerable group away from their home country and without a network of family or friends to support them. Like me, most Irish people have a natural repugnance for crimes against those who are guests to our shores. It offends against the fundamental traditions of welcome which are a deep rooted cultural characteristic of our people. The establishment of the TVSS was, in itself, an expression of that concern.
In the past, I have called on the wider tourism sector to give greater financial support to the TVSS and I again repeat that appeal. I applaud and support the excellent work of the tourist victim support service and I am encouraged by the support and close co-operation it continues to receive from the Garda Síochána. Fáilte Ireland contributes some €25,000 a year towards the running costs of the TVSS.
