Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 November 2004
183 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the meetings he has had with Tourism Ireland and the national sporting bodies in regard to the selection of Ireland as a venue for international events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28400/04]
View answerSince taking up office, I have not had specific meetings with representatives of the national sporting bodies or the State tourism agencies in regard to the selection of Ireland as a venue for international events.
Fáilte Ireland's international sports tourism initiative was launched in January 2000 with a view to supporting efforts to attract major international sporting events with tourism potential to Ireland. Hosting major international sporting events has the potential to both enhance the image of Ireland as a desirable holiday destination and at the same time to generate tourism revenue as a consequence of the valuable exposure provided by media and television coverage associated with the sponsorship of such events. The administration of the initiative is a day to day matter for Fáilte Ireland.
