asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he has consulted with the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation regarding the tourism targets set out in the Programme for National Recovery; if his attention has been drawn to the confederation's view that the significant growth rates required are not being achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Tourism Targets.
1.
Both the Minister and I are in regular contact with the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation who have expressed the view that the tourism targets set in the Programme for National Recovery are realistic and achievable. Furthermore, the chairman of the confederation has consistently maintained that the sector is on course for achievement of these targets.
I would refer the Deputy to the Official Report of 16 December 1988, columns 2137 and 2138, volume 385, for the Minister's comments to the House on this same subject on that occasion.
The ITIC, as the Minister of State knows, represent all sectors of the industry and in November last were claiming that the tourism targets which had been set by this Government in the Programme for National Recovery were not being achieved. They accepted that the targets had been established and they were very challenging targets, but in November they stated that the 1988 targets would not be achieved. Could the Minister of State give us some statistical information here today to convince us that the targets set out in that programme are being achieved?
I want to address in particular the point raised in Deputy O'Malley's question and letters, correspondence and so forth from the chairman of ITIC. As reported at column 2138, volume 385 of the Official Report, which I mentioned in my reply, the Minister referred to the address of 5 December 1988 in which the chairman indicated that everyone in the industry believed these objectives could be achieved.
Deputy O'Malley has been making the point he made previously, that the chairman in correspondence to him is saying something other than that. My information is that in a letter to my colleague, the Minister, dated 22 February 1988, the chairman obviously claims that he made no mention in his letter in November to Deputy O'Malley of any concern about growth rates not being achieved. He insists that his letter to the Deputy outlines ITIC's views on the need for investment in the product, additional funds for tourism promotion and aspects of the physical environment that need to be addressed. He states further in his recent letter, which I have here, that he has consistently maintained that we are on target, and at any public engagements and private meetings which he attended, including meetings with Opposition TDs, he has indicated and I quote: "we are satisfied with the targets and we are on course in 1988." That should help the Deputy.
Let me intervene here to say I need hardly remind the House that we are dealing with priority questions and relevance and brevity are essential if we are to dispose of these four questions within the prescribed time. It is a quota of four.
In the interests of saving time the best thing for me to do would be allow the Minister to have a copy of the November letter in which the ITIC stated that the target set out in the programme would not be achieved. Is the Minister consulting with the ITIC in terms of addressing the need they have expressed for combining the resources of the Government, Bord Fáilte and other State agencies and private enterprise in order to bring forward a strategic plan that will address the whole issue of attaining targets? The ITIC claim that plan is still required and has not been forwarded to them or worked out with them by the Government.
I can confirm that both the Minister and I are in constant contact and communication with the ITIC on all aspects of the tourism industry.