Written Answers Nos. 1635-1645
1635. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there have been any changes to prescribed flight paths in the Dublin region in the past year; if so, the details of same; if he will provide a map of the current standard flight paths utilised by Dublin Airport, Baldonnel Airport and Weston Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31868/15]
View answerThe issues raised are operational matters for the Irish Aviation Authority. I have referred the Deputy's question to them for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
1636. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the specific conditions that exist for air traffic at Dublin Airport, Baldonnel Airport and Weston Airport with regard to the overflight of residential areas between 18:00 hrs and 07:00 hrs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31870/15]
View answerThe issues raised are operational matters for the Irish Aviation Authority. I have referred the Deputy's question to them for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
1637. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to upgrade the Wexford-Dublin railway line, with a view to attracting more people to rail travel as opposed to using private cars; his further plans to reopen the direct railway line between Wexford and Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31890/15]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. Issues relating to the upgrading of individual rail lines are a matter for Iarnród Éireann in the first instance. Exchequer funds are made available each year for investment in railway safety, asset renewal and maintenance. Since 2014 these funds are governed by the Infrastructure Manager Multi Annual Contract (IMMAC) a requirement under EU rules. The works covered by this contract are prioritised by Iarnród Éireann based on appropriate risk assessments.
The question of re-opening railways lines is also a matter for Iarnród Éireann, in conjunction with the National Transport Authority as appropriate.
I have referred the Deputy's question to Iarnród Éireann for a direct reply. If you do not receive a response within 10 working days, please contact my private office.
1639. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the person responsible for developing and growing tourism in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31902/15]
View answer1640. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the contact point for airlines, tour operators and other stakeholders to discuss various regional tourism products and other industry issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31903/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1639 and 1640 together.
As regards my Department, its role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of developing national tourism policy, whereas the tourism agencies have operational responsibility for the implementation of this policy. As regards the division of those responsibilities and contact points for stakeholders wishing to discuss specific matters, Tourism Ireland is responsible for the overseas promotion of the island of Ireland as a tourism destination, whereas Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, has responsibility for the development of quality tourism product, domestic tourism marketing, tourism standards, enterprise support, capability building and human resource development for the tourism industry. Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy's question to the tourism agencies for direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not hear from them within ten working days.
However, the Government's recent policy statement "People, Place and Policy: Growing Tourism to 2025" highlights the central role of local authorities in developing tourism in their areas and clearly Cork County and City Councils are important partners, along with the local tourist industry and local communities, in doing so. It is universally recognised that tourism is developed by strong partnership across a range of stakeholders and no one body or person can do so on its, his or her own.
1641. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way in which the roles of former regional tourism authorities been integrated into Fáilte Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31904/15]
View answer1643. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way Fáilte Ireland fulfils its regional tourism development functions in the Cork region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31906/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1641 and 1643 together.
Fáilte Ireland was established under the National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003. Its primary functions are the development of quality tourism product, domestic tourism marketing, tourism standards, enterprise support, capability building and human resource development for the tourism industry.
Most of the regional tourism authorities were dissolved in 2006 and their staff, assets and responsibilities transferred to Fáilte Ireland. In keeping with those reforms and the Government's programme for the rationalisation of State agencies, Dublin Tourism was dissolved in 2012 and its staff, assets and responsibilities transferred to Fáilte Ireland. Finally, responsibility for Shannon Development's tourism activities, and the related staff and assets, was transferred to Fáilte Ireland in 2013. Accordingly, Fáilte Ireland has operational responsibility for the development of tourism regionally, including in Cork, whereas Tourism Ireland is operationally responsible for overseas tourism marketing.
With regard to Fáilte Ireland's tourism development activities in the Cork region, I have referred the Deputy's question to the agency for direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not hear from the agency in ten days.
1642. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport regarding the south-west region, which includes counties Cork and Kerry and is the largest regional destination for tourism outside of Dublin, the plans in place to market the region as a distinct destination; if there is any one person or group of persons responsible for developing and marketing the region as a tourist destination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31905/15]
View answerAs set out in the Government's Tourism Policy Statement, "People, Place and Policy - Growing Tourism to 2025" there is low awareness of Ireland's county boundaries among potential overseas visitors and therefore expenditure by public or private entities on marketing an individual county to consumers in overseas markets is unlikely to provide an adequate return on investment. This is, of course, equally true of regions which combine administrative areas for statistical or administrative purposes. Instead, the focus must be on the potential visitor. Based on research on the demographic segments of our overseas markets with a higher likelihood to select Ireland as a destination, the tourism agencies are developing and promoting tourism propositions of scale capable of achieving international cut-through and securing consumer attention, namely the experience brands of the Wild Atlantic Way, Dublin Plus, Ireland's Ancient East. In regard to the South West region, Kerry features prominently in the Wild Atlantic Way and Cork is strongly represented in both the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East.
I have referred the Deputy's question to the tourism agencies for further detail on the development and marketing of the region as part of these experience brands. Please contact my private office if you do not hear from them within ten working days.
1644. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to increase the number of skilled cooking staff available for the hospitality sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31908/15]
View answer1645. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to reinstate modular and industry based training for cooks and chefs in order to increase the rate at which staff are trained and to meet the hospitality sector demand for such skilled staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31909/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1644 and 1645 together.
The Government's Tourism Policy Statement, "People, Place and Policy - Growing Tourism to 2025" outlines policy objectives to strengthen the capacity of people working in the tourism sector. The new Tourism Leadership Group is preparing a detailed Action Plan to implement these policy proposals and will consider all matters relevant to ensuring that the industry has the requisite skills to achieve our ambitious growth targets.
However, while training for the hospitality and catering sector is very relevant to the tourism industry, it is broader than tourism alone. The future development of training will be guided by the ongoing work of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, which operates under the aegis of my colleague the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, and its detailed assessment of the skills requirements of the hospitality sector. In this regard, a balance must be struck between direct enterprise support, entry level training and advanced/professional training. SOLAS, employers, further and higher education providers - particularly the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) - and Fáilte Ireland all have complementary roles to play. I understand that the report of the Expert Group is due to completed in early November.
