Charles Flanagan
Ceist:8 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the steps, if any, he proposes to take to deal with the recommendations of the Tourism Task Force.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Report of Tourism Task Force.
Charles Flanagan
Ceist:9 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if he intends establishing a new Tourist Council of Ireland, having referred to the importance of tourism to the Economy.
Charles Flanagan
Ceist:11 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade his views on the future of the Regional Tourist Organisations.
Robert Molloy
Ceist:17 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the proposals, if any, he has in relation to unregistered bed and breakfast tourist accommodation; whether he proposes to outlaw unregistered accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Peadar Clohessy
Ceist:18 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if he will make a statement regarding the plans of the Government to increase the amount of tourist bed accommodation.
Theresa Ahearn
Ceist:29 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if the Government will establish a national entertainment committee to assist in the provision of entertainment for tourists.
John Browne
Ceist:37 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade his views on whether there is a need to set up and/or assist in the creation of product development companies to market branded activity holidays in Ireland.
Pat Rabbitte
Ceist:39 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if it is intended to proceed with the planned abolition of the regional tourism organisations, especially in view of the criticism of the decision of the former Government from many tourism interests; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Eamon Gilmore
Ceist:41 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if the Government has accepted the recommendations of the report of the Tourism Task Force; if any timetable has been set for the implementation of the recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
John Browne
Ceist:43 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if he will introduce legislation to require the licensing of tourist accommodation in the State.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 9, 11, 17, 18, 29, 37, 39, 41 and 43 together.
I wish to voice my concern at the Minister taking three Priority Questions together. I am particularly concerned that Questions Nos. 8 and 11 are being taken together. I wonder why the Minister is embarking upon such a course of action, especially having regard to the separate nature of Questions Nos. 8 and 11.
The Deputy will be able to deal with his concerns by way of supplementary questions.
The recent report of the tourism task force, which addresses all of the issues raised in these questions, is currently under examination in my Department, having particular regard to the tourism section in the Programme for a Partnership Government, 1993 to 1997.
Consultations are underway with relevant Government Departments, representative bodies and agencies and among the issues being examined are recommendations in relation to: a tourism council; future of the regional tourism organisations; registration and expansion of accommodation; and a national entertainment committee.
I will be formulating my proposals on each of these issues as soon as I have completed these consultations.
Meanwhile, Bord Fáilte has been instructed to begin the process, where feasible, of introducing co-operative marketing along the lines of the task force's concept of product development companies and I understand one such company, to market golf products, is already in place and that the board plan to establish others in the course of the coming year.
First, I should like to congratulate the Minister on his appointment as Minister for Tourism and Trade and on this, his first day in the House answering questions in that capacity. I welcome the fact that on the face of it the Government appears to have realised the importance of tourism in the economy by at least initially giving an indication of upgrading the Department from its former role. However, I wish to put it to the Minister that the report of the specially commissioned tourism task force, published in October, has in effect been buried by the Minister. I should like to put it to him that reference to the report of the task force in the Programme for a Partnership Government specifically states that key elements of the report will be acted upon. What are those key elements? I should also like to put it to the Minister that the report was buried by him because its key elements were an embarrassment to the Government in relation to the compulsory Shannon stop-over, State funding for Aer Lingus and the future of the regional tourism organisations, all of which elements are contrary to the policy of the previous Government and have not been reversed by the present Government.
This is a very long question.
What are the Minister's proposals? This is a long question, a Cheann Comhairle, but, having regard to the Minister's taking three Priority Questions together, I have a number of supplementary questions.
I shall call the Deputy again if necessary.
I shall reply to each of the issues raised by Deputy Flanagan. I have not scrapped the key elements of the report of the task force on tourism. That report should be read in conjunction with the Programme for a Partnership Government. The matters raised by the Deputy will be considered by me in due course. The Deputy made reference to the regional tourism organisations. I have already met the regional tourism organisations and I hope to be in a position very shortly to announce my proposals in that regard. The other matters referred to by the Deputy, in relation to the compulsory Shannon stop-over and so on, are matters for another Minister and I am delighted to be able to leave them in the hands of another Minister.
I am sure the Minister is so delighted.
Could I ask the Minister to make a commitment on the setting up of an overall national tourism council to bring together the various tourism strands within the State, having regard to the realistic targets that have been set, particularly in the light of job creation projections? Does the Minister envisage such a council as being important to allow for the creation of 30,000 jobs over a five year period and an increase of up to 50 per cent in tourism revenue? I wish to put it to the Minister that unless an overall body in the form of a tourism council as envisaged by the task force is set up, Ireland will lose a tremendous opportunity for job creation in the next five years.
The matter of a tourism council is mentioned in the report of the task force. It is also referred to in the Programme for a Partnership Government which states that the establishment of a tourism council will be considered in the light of the role, function and scope of the new Department of Tourism and Trade. I am willing to consider the setting up of a tourism council. The Deputy would agree that there will be conflicting views about this matter as between various organisations and bodies involved in the tourism sector. Since being appointed Minister for Tourism and Trade, I have come to the realisation that one could fill at least half the Chamber with all the reports on tourism that have been written in the past decade. It would take a whole class of PhD students to go through all the reports on tourism that have been written down through the years. I am willing to consider the question of the establishment of a tourism council in the light of the report of the task force and in the light of the commitment made by the Government. We need action in this regard and a number of umbrella bodies are willing to look after these interests. I have an open mind in regard to the whole question. However, we have had many recommendations and reports from the Government, State and semi-State organisations and private individuals and it is time to implement some of them.
I wish to express my disappointment at the evasion in the Minister's reply to Question No. 11 as to the future of the regional tourism organisations. Can he now confirm that these bodies have, in effect, been abolished in accordance with the Taoiseach's statement to that effect last October? If not, what is the status of these bodies? They appear to be in limbo at present. Will the Minister agree that they have been abolished? What is the status, if any, of regional tourism at present? Does he consider the county enterprise board scheme satisfactory in so far as he accepts that there will now be 27 different bodies throughout the country marketing Irish tourism abroad——
Brevity, please, the question is too long.
Will the Minister agree that it is difficult to sell Ireland abroad as a whole and to have 27 different bodies engaged in the process of making it more attractive to people to spend their leisure time here——
I am calling the Minister to reply.
I did not evade the question, Deputy. I said I met the regional tourism organisations shortly after my appointment as Minister. I met the chairmen of those bodies as well as the chief executives of each regional tourism organisation and I think they would say that the meeting was quite fruitful. I said I would come back to them when I had considered the matter further. The Deputy is correct in saying it was proposed previously that the regional tourism organisations would be disbanded but, in the negotiations on the formation of the Government, a commitment was given in the programme for Govenment as follows: the new county enterprise partnership boards will have a significant role in tourism promotion in each county; the continued need in addition to a regional co-ordinating mechanism for tourism will be reviewed in the light of the task force recommendation. As Deputies know, with regard to setting up the county enterprise partnership boards, it is intended that one arm of the county enterprise part of the board will deal with tourism. Since my meeting with the regional tourism organisations I have had discussions with the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Deputy Quinn, and I hope to announce, in the near future, plans regarding regional tourism organisations. I am conscious of the benefits of having a regional co-ordinating mechanism referred to in the programme for Government and I hope to be in a position soon to alleviate any worries Deputy Flanagan, and other Members, may have in that regard. I hope it will be a satisfactory outcome for all concerned.
So they are not dead?
Question No. 10, please.
Was Question No. 17 taken earlier?
It was taken with the last question.
Will the Minister reply to it?
I have replied to those questions.
We must proceed.