Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 1

Written Answers. - Tourism Industry.

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

63 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the discussions he has had to date with the relevant authorities regarding the development of regional access points for tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1851/02]

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Dr. McDaid)

A critical component for regaining tourism business in 2002 will be maintaining a broad network of competitive access links by air and sea to Ireland. We are particularly well served by the levels of investment in sea access in recent years. This sector has seen the emergence of a high quality and competitive route network, in particular across the Irish sea and to France.

My Department has been keeping in close contact with the Department of Public Enterprise on air access issues generally. Immediately following the events of 11 September my Department worked closely with that Department to safeguard as much of the air access route infrastructure as possible so that, as traveller confidence is restored and the sector recovers, we will be best placed to avail of it.

The Government is also anxious to promote new air route development, in particular from the large continental European market which has not performed up to expectations in recent years. The extension by Aer Rianta of its incentive scheme for new routes to Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports is very encouraging. I welcome recent announcements of additional routes for 2002. This will go some way to compensating for the loss of services arising from the shake-out of the airline sector following the events of 11 September.

An interdepartmental group, under the chairpersonship of the Department of the Taoiseach and including representatives of my Department, has been established to look at the interaction between access transport, particularly by air, and tourism with a view to identifying further possibilities for increasing the flow of visitors to Ireland. The work of that group is at an advanced stage and I am hopeful that the Government will consider its report very shortly.

My colleague, the Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke, is responsible for the regional airports and the funding of regional air services under the public service obligation regime.