I fully support this motion with particular reference to the fact that this House and the public are concerned that State and EU funding for tourism should be applied in the most cost-effective manner so as to maximise tourism growth. Until the year 2000 and beyond, tourism will be the biggest growth industry not only in this country but worldwide. Tourism is our most decentralised industry as it affects every city, town, village and parish. It is also an industry with great job creation potential and if the Minister and the Government are interested in creating more jobs for our well educated young people, who are now being properly trained in the area of tourism, including catering and management, everything possible must be done to ensure that State and EU funding is spent wisely in order to maximise growth in the immediate years ahead.
I refer in particular to the marketing programme by Bord Fáilte and the Department of Tourism and Trade under the operational programme. During the period from 1 October to 17 March as many people as possible from Bord Fáilte and the Department should be engaged in promotional work outside the country in order to attract more tourists here. Marketing is the key to tourism promotion. From information given to me by those with vast experience in the tourism trade and in the hotel and catering businesses, Ireland is merely scratching at the surface of the huge market that exists in the United States, continental Europe, Asia and throughout the world. I cannot over-emphasise the importance of marketing.
Low interest loans should be made available to entrepreneurs who wish to become involved in tourism projects such as the extension of existing facilities and the provision of new facilities, including buildings. Low interest loans are far better and indeed the tourism trade prefers them to grants. We must spend a percentage of State and EU funding for tourism on the provision of all-weather leisure facilities, including cinemas and conference centres. This may be Ireland's last opportunity to spend money of the magnitude that will be made available between now and the year 1999 by the European Commission.
I am convinced, as are those involved in the tourism trade, that a greater sense of urgency is needed on the part of planning authorities in deciding on applications for planning permission for tourism-orientated projects which have great employment potential, be they all-weather leisure facilities, conference centres, extensions to hotels and guest-houses or the construction of new projects.
I ask the Minister to consult with his colleague, the Minister for the Environment, with a view to issuing a directive to planning authorities to give priority to applications for planning permission in respect of proposals which will ultimately create many jobs. I ask the Minister also to consult with his colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry, with a view to restoring the grants for the control of pollution on farmyards. We must protect and maintain our strong healthy environment for our own benefit, for the benefit of tourists and in the interests of job creation, regardless of the cost.
I am anxious that towns such as Killarney, Kenmare, Killorglin and other coastal towns in south and west Kerry are given an equal and fair opportunity to obtain grants under the Operational Programme on Tourism. It is important that these towns, and indeed the entire constituency of South Kerry, get their fair share of State and EU funding having regard to the huge sums which entrepreneurs and others involved in the hotel and tourism businesses spent over the years out of their own resources.