asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if the establishment of a task force on tourism can be interpreted as a vote of no confidence in Bord Fáilte; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
6.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tourism Policy.
4.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he will give details of the composition and terms of reference given to the special advisory group on tourism which was recently set up; and when the group is to report back on its findings.
12.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if the increased allocation for tourism announced in the budget will be channelled exclusively through Bord Fáilte; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
13.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he will outline the special package of measures for tourism in 1988; the way in which the special allocation of £4 million announced by the Minister for Finance will be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
18.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if the tourism task force has made any recommendations to his Department yet; and, if so, if he will outline their proposals so far; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
20.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the members of the tourism task force; their function; and the terms of reference he has given to them.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4, 6, 12, 13, 18 and 20 together.
The composition of the special advisory group on tourism is as follows: Ms. Gillian Bowler, Budget Travel; Mr. Martin Dully, Aer Rianta; Mr. Conor McCarthy, Ryan Hotels plc; Mr. Michael McDonnell, Department of Tourism and Transport; Mr. Matt McNulty, Dublin Millennium; Mr. Mike Murphy, RTE; Ms. Eileen O'Mara Walsh, Irish Tourist Industry Confederation; and Mr. Patrick Teahon, Department of the Taoiseach.
The group which is representative of a wide cross-section of the tourism industry was asked to advise on how the £4 million provided in the 1988 budget should be allocated so as to obtain an increase in tourism numbers and revenue in 1988 in line with the targets set out in the Programme for National Recovery. It is expected to report by the end of February. The establishment of the group is not a vote of no confidence in Bord Fáilte.
Apart from the £300,000 which is being provided in respect of the Swansea Cork ferry service, the increased allocation will be channelled through Bord Fáilte.
It would appear that, with the removal of £4 million from the budget of Bord Fáilte and the provision of £4 million to the task force, the Minister has lost confidence in the ability of Bord Fáilte to do the job for which they were set up. This task force obviously are engaged in the promotion of tourism which is the preserve of Bord Fáilte. Surely the Minister must indicate to the House why he has not enough confidence in Bord Fáilte not only to maintain their budget but to increase it so they can do more effectively the job they have been doing. Instead, he has cut back their budget.
That is a misconception on the part of the Deputy. The special advisory group were established after a very important tourism forum which was held in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. The idea was that the people involved in the tourism industry should give advice on how the £4 million should be spent. As I indicated in my answer, with the exception of the £300,000 for the Swansea-Cork Ferries the moneys will be spent through Bord Fáilte.
On whose initiative were the task force set up and who will implement their recommendations?
The task force, or advisory group, were set up by the Government arising out of the forum in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. As I said in my original reply, the moneys, with the exception of £300,000 for the Swansea-Cork Ferries will be spent through Bord Fáilte.
Is it correct that the task force were set up on the initiative of the Taoiseach and the Minister and that Bord Fáilte were excluded?
In no way. I am a member of the Government.
But Bord Fáilte were not involved in the organisation of the forum on tourism at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham.
That is true. They did not organise it. We organised it, inviting people from, so to speak, the coalface, people who are involved, such as hoteliers, travel agents, tour operators etc. and the various sectors involved in accommodation.
I think it is general knowledge that they were set up on the initiative of the Taoiseach. May I have an answer to the second part of my question? Who will implement the recommendations of the task force?
The Department of Tourism, through Bord Fáilte.
The Minister said in his reply that the task force were to be in operation only for 1988. On that basis when does he expect that the suggestions or recommendations will come forward from them? Time is limited so obviously those recommendations are imminent. Is he saying in reply to Deputy Deasy that the task force are subservient to Bord Fáilte or to the Department of Tourism and Transport? Who will make the decisions on the recommendations of the task force?
I replied to one part of the Deputy's supplementary. They are expected to report by the end of February, this month. My Department will have a look at the recommendations and, as I have said, the expenditure will be through Bord Fáilte.
Has the Minister directed the task force as to any market this £4 million is aimed at? Has a direction been given in regard to Great Britain, Germany, France or wherever? Is there a specific recommendation of where they are to look?
No, but in general and as of now the context of consideration will be in the light of the Price Waterhouse report and of the known policy of my Department and of the Government to target for development both specific countries and specific areas in the tourism spectrum.
In view of the Taoiseach's statement at that seminar, that £500 million was lost to tourism during a number of years, would the Minister not agree that in the areas he suggested but did not name, concerns like Bord Fáilte were being held up as problem areas for the promotion of tourism? That, as well as the setting up of the task force, prompted my question. Now he is Minister for Tourism and Transport will he indicate, if he agrees with the Taoiseach, where these areas are where money has been squandered or lost in the tourism business and the people responsible for those losses.
I am not aware that the Taoiseach ever said money was squandered or lost. What the Taoiseach said was that we must emphasise very strongly for the future the marketing area in the tourism industry, that there has been a weakness there, that we must step up marketing and, that whatever other cuts there may be, there should be no cuts in the marketing area.
Deputy Austin Deasy for a final supplementary.
We are told this £4 million is being provided from national lottery funds to promote the tourist industry. It is all very hazy. I failed to get a direct answer. I put in a question for written reply and got a very noncommital answer from the Minister. Will the task force recommend how that £4 million is to be spent? Are media reports correct that the chairperson, Miss Bowler, has been allocated £2.5 million to spend or to recommend. Where it should be spent? Is there a connection between the £4 million and the task force or is there a connection between the £2.5 million and the task force?
I do not think my role here is to comment on newspaper reports. The advisory group with Miss Bowler as chairperson were set up to advise on the expenditure of the £4 million. The raison d'etre for appointment of the advisory group was that there could be no criticism in future that we were not in touch with the realities of the industry. These are people who were involved with the industry. This advisory group were set up as a result of a very thorough, full day forum held in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham out of which hundreds of ideas came. In the context the advisory group are considering expenditure.
They are all from Dublin.
I had hoped to get on to another question but I call Deputy Spring.
I take it from the Minister's last response that there is an implied criticism that Bord Fáilte are not at the coalface. Does the Minister not accept this criticism from the industry, that Bord Fáilte personnel are not at the coalface and so are not the best people to do the job for the industry?
I do not think Deputy Spring is right in interpreting what I said in that way. Bord Fáilte are administering, etc. and dealing with various things like grading hotels and so on. We wanted a kind of refresher from the people involved on the ground in the tourist industry, such as travel agents, tour operators, hoteliers, and those engaged in running town and country houses etc. They were all represented.
Question No. 5.
I have two questions to the Minister on this point.
I gave the Deputy some latitude.
May I ask——
I hesitate to prevent it, Deputy, but the Deputy will have to respect the Chair in such matters.
The Minister indicated that the £4 million was capable of being spent in a large number of markets, which I am sure he will agree will be dissipating the money and spreading it too far. Therefore, can I take it from that that the task force have the scope to recommend the spending of this £4 million in keeping with the other moneys available within the budget to Bord Fáilte? Will they recommend perhaps a wider spending of moneys in encompassing the £4 million and the Bord Fáilte budget? Will they be able to do this?
I cannot anticipate what they will recommend but from my reading of the situation I think the Deputy is right.