David Stanton
Ceist:1 Mr. Stanton asked the Taoiseach the way in which he will give elderly persons more access to technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30848/05]
Ceisteanna — Questions.
Information Technology Programme.
The e-inclusion fund was established to support the participation of late adopters of technology in an inclusive information society. The Government allocated €1.025 million for the funding of e-inclusion initiatives in 2005, which includes particular focus on initiatives targeted primarily at older people and people with disabilities. Based on CSO statistics, these groups have been identified as two of the most vulnerable sectors in society.
A total of 117 applications were received following a national call for proposals under the e-inclusion fund. Some 49 projects were subsequently approved for funding by the e-inclusion sub-group of the assistant secretaries implementation group. The Deputy may be aware of the assistireland.ie website which was developed by Comhairle. This is an assistive technology website which provides details of products that are aimed at providing older people and people with disabilities with assistance in independent living.
I thank the Minister of State for his response. How many older people and people with disabilities benefited from the 49 projects mentioned by the Minister of State? Does he agree that a lack of information and access to information through technology is a barrier to older people in accessing benefits and entitlements? What further plans does the Government have to expand the service for older people in particular, who may often be isolated in their own homes? Does the Minister of State agree that access to the Internet and e-mail would be a great advantage to older people in combating social exclusion? How does the Government plan to assist older people and people with disabilities to learn how to use computers, the Internet and e-mail?
The number of projects involved is 117. They are good projects which were assessed independently by the e-inclusion sub-group. The funding provides assistance to the groups to ensure that people become more aware of the importance of technology. The Deputy is correct that this is vital.
As Minister of State, I have identified two groups needing attention, the elderly who would be greatly assisted in combating loneliness and isolation, and people with disabilities, for whom tremendous work has been done. Much good work is also being done by information technology companies. Enable Ireland and Assist Ireland are involved with projects focused on the elderly and people with disabilities. I assure the Deputy that we are considering the funding for next year — I understand it will be €1.5 million. We will continue to focus on those who do not have access to technology. A third group targeted for inclusion are people from disadvantaged areas. A project we announced recently related to disadvantaged areas, where good work is being done and where working with schools is important.
The Deputy asked what more we could do. In addition to the funding for inclusion, there is also the information society fund from which funding was provided for the "About the House" television programme to highlight the benefits of ICT in the home and to the lives of householders. One of the challenges for older people is overcoming the fear of technology. The programme aimed to demystify and encourage the use of technology by illustrating its benefits, ease of installation and accessibility. One of the programmes showed how putting technology in place can compensate for lack of mobility at home so that older people can maintain their quality of life, independence, social communication, security and peace of mind for themselves and their families. We have moved on from the technology itself and the key issue is what use the technology can be put to. It can have tremendous utility, particularly for older people.
Is the Minister of State satisfied that every older person in the State who wants access to technology has it? Is he satisfied that people know of the benefits of e-mail and computers? The Minister referred to 49 projects. How many people were involved in those projects, what did the projects involve and where were they located? What initiatives is the Government putting in place to install this technology in the homes of older people, especially in isolated rural areas where social interaction and contact can be at a minimum?
The precise number of people involved is difficult to know but I will make every effort to obtain that information by having my officials check the list of successful applicants. To give an idea of the type of groups involved, the lengthy list includes Ability Enterprise, Claremorris; Active Virginian Club, Cavan; Age and Opportunity; UCD Equality Studies Centre; An Cosan, Tallaght; and the Ballyhaunis Family Resource Centre. Many people are involved in the 170 organisations, which include groups dealing with the elderly and people with disabilities. Apart from that, tremendous work is being done by Mo Bhaile, a pilot project conducted by seven local authorities. I was fortunate to visit South Dublin County Council, where various community groups can access the Mo Bhaile facility, to see at first hand the work the group is doing there. I have first-hand knowledge of many retirement groups accessing that facility. There is significant work to be done and my objective as Minister of State with responsibility for the information society is to ensure that those in danger of missing the opportunity to participate in the knowledge society are included.
It is recognised that this is a knowledge society. We are creating an island of ingenuity and want to involve those who have not had a chance to become familiar with, or are mystified by, technology.
The focus now is on how to make the ingenuity of people gel with the technology. Young people understand that kind of language and adapt to technology. I agree with the Deputy, however, that we need to focus on several areas. That is the objective of this e-inclusion fund. The fund is modest but will rise to €1.5 million next year and there are many other areas on which we can concentrate our efforts.
A total of 117 projects were announced under the e-inclusion fund but is the Minister of State aware that vocational education committees run many adult education courses? The cost of paying extra fees to these teachers has been passed directly to the people attending the courses, including senior citizens. The age limit for defining a senior citizen has been increased by ten years making it significantly more expensive for people over the age of 50 to do any course.
The Minister for Education and Science has refused point blank to provide any funding to compensate for the increased cost of these courses. Is the Minister of State amenable to providing some money from his fund to make up the teacher costs of any information technology related course run by the VECs?
These projects are independently assessed. The organisations involved are community-based, bottom-up groups, such as the South Tipperary Community and Voluntary Forum, the Summerhill Active Retirement Group, and the Tipperary Uplands IT Group. It is encouraging to see the Walkinstown Association. This came from an advertisement placed by my Department, making it a transparent process.
I will be glad to pursue the issues the Deputy raised regarding the VEC. I cannot make any commitment, however, because I want to ensure this work is community-based. Deputy Stanton pointed to the need to reach as many individuals as possible through various associations and organisations. I will be happy to pursue that with the Minister for Education and Science.
Is the Minister of State aware of some of the initiatives taken by the VECs to roll out access for senior citizens to IT introduction and training courses? Is he proactively pursuing new ideas and ways of delivering IT information and familiarisation to rural and remote regions where there is great difficulty with communications?
The Minister of State mentioned an area in County Cavan, but does he know that in west Cavan the VEC provides computer training designed to develop skills in a socially and economically deprived part of the country? Will the Department examine how this example is applied? Does the Minister of State view a direct engagement with senior citizens, clubs and groups as worthwhile? Such an engagement would allow an exploration of how outreach activities and the introduction to information technology could be brought to people, particularly our senior citizens and people with disabilities, in more rural and remote locations, rather than them having to attend centres of learning.
Yes, I am aware of the work of the VECs in this area. I agree with the Deputy's analysis on the importance of it and they must be encouraged in what they are doing. I will pursue the issues raised by Deputy Gogarty.
On the involvement of elderly people, we see examples time and again of what is happening. In the Dublin South constituency, I have seen many examples of such projects which are encouraging. It is obvious to me that when older people become familiar with and use information technology, it can be of huge benefit, not just to them, but to their colleagues and friends. It is a fantastic means of communication. I welcome any ideas Members may have to encourage this.
I will ask my officials to circulate the list of successful applicants to Members as it contains good examples of projects in communities. In particular, we must access those in rural areas because information technology connects people. While I accept some people will decline to use it, at least they should be given the opportunity of exploring it. The best way to do this is through community groups. In many rural areas, there are some active community groups. If we can get the older people in communities to access these organisations and bodies, there is every chance that it will have a positive impact on their lives. I agree with the Deputy on that point.
The Taoiseach has pointed out that he is concerned by the lack of volunteers in communities. If the Minister of State is depending on active community groups to push this project, what happens in locations where there are no such groups? What plans has the Minister of State to introduce information technology in these areas? Has the Minister of State set any targets to be achieved in this area? If he has, will he share them with the House? Has the Minister of State any plans to make it easier for older people to purchase computers for their homes? As they can be quite expensive, it can act as a barrier to older people accessing information technology and the Internet. Are there any plans to extend the existing seven Mo Bhaile projects to other local authorities? If so, which ones and how soon will they be included?
I am a strong supporter, along with the Taoiseach, of promoting voluntarism. In my time involved in overseas development when Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, I promoted the concept of voluntarism. We can do it at home and abroad. I am delighted the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, along with the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Conor Lenihan, has moved swiftly on this issue. We can do much to promote voluntarism at local and national level.
The Mo Bhaile project is involved in seven local authorities, South County Dublin, Mayo, Meath, Westmeath, north Tipperary and south Tipperary. The information society fund is involved in financially supporting these projects. It is a pilot project aimed at building the information and communications technology of the community and voluntary sector, targeted at working from the bottom up. Community champions have been employed to encourage engagement with information and communications technology and create a shared sense of purpose in information society development. There are more than 300 community groups on-line in the pilot areas. This is the best way to proceed. I have not set specific targets but we must keep going to achieve maximum reach and connectivity with communities.
The Mo Bhaile projects also focus on promoting awareness, that is, conveying to those who may not otherwise appreciate it the reason the Internet is relevant and how it can benefit them. Having spoken to older people who have started to use technology in recent times, I am convinced of the necessity of the Mo Bhaile initiative and will continue to promote it in any way I can. Government funding must be allocated to the most appropriate areas, one of which is the Mo Bhaile project.
Does the Minister of State have plans to extend the Mo Bhaile initiative to the rest of the country? When will the pilot project conclude? Does he agree that the cost of computers is prohibitive? Does he have plans to make it easier for older people to purchase computers?
The best approach to facilitating the purchase of computers is to try to support local communities and identify how we can help them and representative organisations. I have spoken positively about the Mo Bhaile project and favour its extension. I will get back to the Deputy with information on the latest position.
Tourism Revenue.
Dan Boyle
Ceist:2 Mr. Boyle asked the Taoiseach the estimated expenditure, classified by route of travel, by tourism visitors here since 2000, excluding the lower international fares; if the figures will be adjusted to take account of general inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34807/05]
The Central Statistics Office publishes annual figures on the estimated total earnings from all visits to Ireland. These figures include a breakdown into the following categories for overseas travel routes: air cross-channel, sea cross-channel, continental and transatlantic. I propose to circulate in the Official Report a table showing the relevant figures for the years 2000-04.
|
Route |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
|
Air Cross-Channel |
1,145 |
1,244 |
1,282 |
1,334 |
1,388 |
|
Sea Cross-Channel |
485 |
513 |
566 |
515 |
487 |
|
Continental |
603 |
690 |
747 |
794 |
841 |
|
Transatlantic |
385 |
445 |
451 |
555 |
488 |
|
All Overseas Routes |
2,617 |
2,893 |
3,045 |
3,198 |
3,204 |
The figures in the table exclude all fares received by Irish carriers. The table shows a total of €3.2 billion spent by overseas visitors in 2004, an increase of 22.4% on the figure of €2.6 billion in 2000. Over the same period the consumer price index increased by 16%. The all-items consumer price index is the official measure of inflation for Ireland. Based on changes in the CPI, the annual average increase was 16% between 2000 and 2004.
A separate analysis of travel to Ireland by "lower" or "higher" international fares and the resulting visitor expenditure is not possible. The figures given for each route exclude fares. A separate estimate of fares received by Irish carriers is given in Table 1 of the CSO annual release on tourism and travel. It is expected that tourism and travel estimates for the year 2005 will be published in spring 2006.
Does the Minister of State acknowledge that irrespective of whether one calculates the figures using the consumer price index or, as I did, by making a rough estimate of the inflation rate in a given year, the result will show that tourism expenditure has not increased over the rate of inflation? Does he agree that this raises serious questions, particularly given the threat posed by the Baltic and Scandinavian states which are successfully developing eco-tourism? Given that the number of walking holidays has decreased every year since the start of the millennium, Comhairle na Tuaithe is having no success in——
The Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, is here to answer questions on statistics. He has no responsibility for policy issues in tourism, which are a matter for the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism.
Will the Minister of State, on behalf of the Taoiseach, acknowledge that expenditure by tourists has not increased, primarily due to a decline in the number of walking holidays, and that action is needed on this issue?
While I greatly value the work of the CSO, it is always helpful to have more statistics. As the Deputy will be aware, the CSO compiles monthly figures on overseas travel and carries out quarterly and annual surveys on tourism and travel. The monthly figures cover total travel to Ireland. The Deputy is correct that the figures include a range of categories of visitors, including those who come here to work and those who come for a walking holiday. Through every phase one gets more detailed information. The quarterly survey contains country of residence information as well as the passenger card inquiry. The latter provides much more detail as to why people are coming here and where they are going. As I have said before, however, we need much more information, which would be of great help to us. That information is being sought and I am in constant touch with the Central Statistics Office regarding that.
I gave the Deputy the facts concerning the increase in expenditure from 2000, in accordance with the question, which was €2.6 billion on all overseas routes. It has risen to €3.2 billion, which represents a rise of 22.4%. I also referred to the consumer price index increase. The annual figures for 2005 will be available next spring, which is the way it is done because it is detailed work. The most recent figures for visitor numbers are those for September 2005, which were published on 23 November. They show that the number of trips to Ireland increased by almost 53,000 on the same month in 2004. That is an increase of8.9%, so the figures are looking good. I accept what the Deputy said in that some detailed work remains to be done on the precise reasons people come and where they are travelling within the country. We could do some work on a regional basis as well and I am pursuing that with the CSO.
Is there a breakdown in the Minister's statistics of visitors by age? Are visitors from the North of Ireland classified as so-called foreign visitors or is it recognised that they are part of the island approach to tourism? The Minister and I have spoken about this approach in previous exchanges regarding these statistical questions. If statistics on visitors' ages are available, and specifically concerning the North of Ireland, is this information feeding into the case for the roll-out of the yet to be delivered all-Ireland free travel pass for senior citizens, including pensioners?
The only information we have comes under the heading of cross-Border travel. The expenditure figure in 2000 was €207 million, and it was €236 million in 2004. Those are the figures we have and the Deputy can obviously access them on our website under the heading of tourism and travel 2004. They were published on 26 April 2005. We will have the new information for 2005 next spring.
The Deputy asked about North-South co-operation, which was also raised in a previous question. I have asked my officials about the matter and there is a considerable amount of co-operation between North and South in compiling these figures. CSO officials met their Northern Ireland counterparts in the Statistical and Research Agency and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. While there is good interaction between our agencies and theirs in this area, we need to do much more work in this regard. As I have already said, when the institutions are hopefully back up and running, tourism is an obvious area where it would be most helpful to have an island of Ireland approach. I know our tourism agencies would welcome that approach in order to work together on compiling data. Alongside this work, Fáilte Ireland does a great deal of work on a regional basis. Many Deputies from various political parties have asked for more work to be undertaken in this respect, and I am pursuing that matter with the CSO.
Would the Minister of State accept that, in light of the statistics he has indicated to the House in respect of spending in Ireland by visitors from overseas and, particularly, the North, in the event of the roll out of the free travel pass and given the significant spending power that visitors in the sterling area of the island would have in coming here, there would be a large advance in these figures on previous years?
That is a policy issue.
The short answer is definitely "Yes".
Will the Minister of State encourage it?
Yes.
I have two questions. The first relates to the cross-Border issue raised by Deputy Ó Caoláin. Is there any way, even anecdotally, of devising some form of analysis of the cross-Border figures to show how many people from overseas access the Republic via Northern Ireland as opposed to the many people resident there? They are different demographics and it would be interesting to view those statistics were there some way of doing so.
Staying on statistics, the Minister of State mentioned the quarterly figures which highlight the number of nights stayed by people residing temporarily in the country. These have been declining over a period. In this context and without prejudice to Fáilte Ireland's work but recognising the sterling work done by the Central Statistics Office, its professionalism and capability in this regard, would it be possible to use the CSO to take a sample of customer satisfaction levels when people enter or exit the country and examine such issues as cost and customer services? These types of figures should be taken together statistically rather than waiting for annual reports from Fáilte Ireland which examines them in a different context.
The more information we have the better. It would help all of us at Government and tourism organisational levels in planning. My colleague, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue, has a keen interest in this area. As Deputy Gogarty said, the agencies under his Ministry are doing much work.
I understand that in other countries, departments and ministries work with hotels, for example, and much information is provided at that level. There are many other ways to compile information and we should examine every avenue. To be fair to the CSO, it has made significant recent advances. I have met the agency's personnel a number of times to discuss the type of work it does. We should encourage it to continue getting more detailed information.
There is co-operation with the Northern Ireland institutions and organisations and information compiled at Belfast Airport and Northern ports would be shared with us. Returning to Deputy Ó Caoláin's point, much more work could be done in this area. I thank the Deputies for their comments, which will be noted by the CSO, a point I always make. It listens to what Deputies say and will follow up on the matters.
Does the Minister of State share the views of his colleague, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Brennan, who has discouraged senior citizens from coming here to live or visit by saying this is a very expensive country? Was the Minister speaking on behalf of the Government or was he speaking off his own bat? His comment appeared in newspapers, which does not give a good image to senior citizens who wish to return to live here or visit. Will the Minister of State clarify whether he shares these views and will he ask the Minister to explain to the House what he meant by his statement?
I did not hear the comment made by my colleague, Deputy Brennan.
He is near enough to the Minister of State.
The Minister of State overlooked him.
I share his views. I am sure he said this is a country that welcomes back our people who went abroad. The figures show that many have returned. Returning to the earlier question and discussion on information technology and older people, we must make every effort for those members of our society who made a significant input to the building of this economy, which we should never forget. They have a special place in our society when it comes to any Government initiatives. A reference was made to voluntarism. Any initiatives from Government or at State agency level which are focused on the elderly whether those at home or abroad, are worthy of promotion. I am glad my colleague has alluded to this.