It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 7, 11, 21, 23, 29, 32, 36 and 38 together.
Following a detailed review of the co-ordination of tourism at regional level as recommended by the Tourism Task Force and confirmed in the Programme for Government, the House will be aware that I reached agreement with representatives of the Regional Tourism Organisation on 29 October 1993 to establish more appropriate institutional structures for Irish tourism at regional and county level. Resulting from that agreement a new structure based upon county divisions will be established to replace the existing regional councils of the RTOs. Consequently each county will be represented by a county tourism committee comprising representatives of the various membership categories within each RTO including members of voluntary groups and organisations. In addition, new slimmed-down boards of management will be established to replace the existing management committees.
In general, county tourism committees will be involved in the "hands on" development at county-area level while the RTOs will continue to have responsibility for tourism development at regional level, including co-ordination, promotions, tourist information networks and accommodation standards. Committees will be responsible for stimulating and co-ordinating projects in the tourism sector by identifying, influencing and bringing forward new products and initiatives in the remit of their operational area. The committees will also have responsibility for formulating county tourism action plans for incorporating into the county enterprise action plans produced by the county enterprise boards and the regional tourism plans produced by the RTOs. The RTO will convene three meetings per annum with each committee and organise an annual regional forum of all committees.