I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 to 265, inclusive, together.
The Government made a concerted effort to reduce the cost base of the tourism sector through the 2011 Jobs Initiative which introduced a reduced 9% VAT rate from July 1st on a range of services, including hotels and restaurants. The Government also halved employers' PRSI for those on modest wages and introduced a visa waiver scheme that makes Ireland more accessible for tourists from important new and emerging markets. These measures were aimed at supporting the creation and maintenance of employment within the tourism sector as well as helping tourism businesses lower their cost base, and allowing them to offer a more competitive product to tourists.
The Central Statistics Office measure employment in accommodation and food service activities and the latest seasonally adjusted figures are from quarter three of 2011 when 109,700 were employed in the sector. Fáilte Ireland's most recent estimate of the numbers employed in the broader tourism and hospitality sector is approximately 180,000 people. At this stage it is too early to accurately assess the impact of the Jobs Initiative and it will be later this year before we can form a view on the effect of these measures on employment. I am, however, pleased to report that overseas tourism numbers have increased by almost 7% to the end of November in comparison to the same period last year. I am also encouraged that employment in accommodation and food service activities, as measured by the CSO, increased by 6,000 over the six month period to end September 2011.
The Irish tourism industry is cautiously optimistic about its prospects and performance for the year ahead and Tourism Ireland is targeting growth in overseas visitor numbers of 4.5%. I would hope that this will result in improved job creation during the course of the year.