Vol. 440 No. 7
39 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the structure of tourist promotion organisations throughout the country given all the groups at regional, county and sub-county level; if he has satisfied himself that the danger of overlapping and duplication can be avoided; and the way in which he intends to ensure adequate co-ordination.
44 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the role he envisages for the directors of the tourism boards which existed prior to the reorganisation of the various tourism boards throughout the country.
It is proposed to take Question Nos. 39 and 44 together.
At the outset I should explain that the co-ordination of tourism promotion at regional and county level is the responsibility of the regional tourism organisations.
The House will already be aware, from my reply to parliamentary questions dated 8 December, 1993, of the agreement which I reached with the regional tourism organisations for reforming the corporate structures of the organisations. As outlined, the regional councils and management committees have been reconstituted and replaced by slimmed down regional boards and new county tourism committees. The former regional directors will continue to have a major role to play through their membership of the new boards of management and county tourism committees.
In formulating the new proposals my main concern was to establish a mechanism which would set in place a systematic, co-ordinated and planned approach to maximise efficiency in the administration and development of the tourism product at regional and county level. Under the new arrangements county tourism committees will comprise representatives from the various membership categories within each regional tourism organisation and include members of those independent voluntary groups and organisations who operate at local level.
It is necessary for all organisations to work together as effective partners for the benefit of tourism at regional and county level and this can best be achieved through the measures I have just outlined.
