Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2015
768. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the body responsible for promoting Cork city and its environs as a tourist destination; the investment that is being made to promote Cork city for tourism; the relationship between Cork city and county, the Wild Atlantic Way and the Ireland's Ancient East initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34406/15]
View answerMy Department's 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, 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 national investment in and 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.
