JOINT COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 17 Jan 2007

Tourism and Environmental Issues: Presentation by Fáilte Ireland.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Cregan)

The joint committee will discuss the environmental aspects of tourism with Fáilte Ireland, particularly the establishment of an environment unit by the organisation. From Fáilte Ireland I welcome Mr. Shaun Quinn, chief executive officer, and Mr. Paddy Matthews, head of the environment unit.

I draw witnesses' attention to the fact that while members of the sub-committee have absolute privilege, the same privilege does not apply to witnesses appearing before it. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

Mr. Shaun Quinn

I thank the joint committee for giving us the opportunity to outline the steps being taken by Fáilte Ireland in addressing the issues relating to tourism and the environment. This is a relatively new area for the organisation with much work ahead for it. We have prepared a short, opening statement as an aid to discussion on the environmental challenges facing the tourism industry and what Fáilte Ireland intends to do to improve the environmental performance of the industry to ensure that Ireland's clean and green image remains credible.

It is fair to say that the future of Irish tourism is inextricably linked to the quality of the natural and built environment, and while Ireland continues to maintain its clean, green image abroad, it is clear that our long-term environmental image will track our environmental performance. As such, it may threaten to undermine the bedrock upon which tourism is built. That fact was recognised by the tourism policy review group in its 2003 report New Horizons for Irish Tourism, which stated very clearly that the tourism industry needed a stronger environmental agenda. On foot of that, Fáilte Ireland established an environmental unit to advise it on environmental and planning issues relating to tourism. Mr. Paddy Matthews is the head of that unit.

Members will be aware that last year was a record one for Irish tourism, its fifth consecutive year of growth. The number of overseas visitors was up by 9% and domestic holiday trips by 11%. Earnings were approximately €6 billion, with 250,000 people employed. That substantial indigenous industry may be the largest in the State. When we surveyed those coming to Ireland in increasing numbers every year, they told us time and again that they prized our green, clean image. I will give a few figures. In 2003, in our survey of visitors' attitudes, 82% cited our scenery as an important reason for coming here. Some 77% were attracted by our natural, unspoilt environment, and 60% mentioned our attractive cities and towns.

It is fair to say that the tourism industry has successfully traded on that unspoilt, unpolluted image for decades. When we consider the unprecedented economic development of recent years, we see that the quality of that core tourism product is coming under pressure. Without that environmental attraction, there will be no distinctive Irish tourism product and no potential to develop environmentally based eco-tourism in future. Quite simply, environmental quality is important to the successful operation of many tourism products, including sight-seeing, walking, cycling, inland cruising and wellness. The tourism industry itself has a major interest in maintaining the quality of the natural environment and our cultural heritage. For the sake of the industry, the link between economic development and environmental damage must be broken. That is the challenge of sustainable development and, by extension, sustainable tourism.

I need hardly remind the committee that over the past 15 years Ireland has seen an unprecedented rate of development that has brought many benefits to the tourism industry. However, much of that economic growth is still closely linked to environmental degradation. The impact can take the form of scenic landscape change, a decline in water quality, and a loss of character in certain historic towns and villages. Other environmental factors such as climate change, which is currently topical, poor waste management and litter control, and fossil fuel use have implications for the future.

We are a growing industry and have set ourselves targets to continue growing, taking the number of overseas visitors from 7 million to 10 million by 2012. However, to achieve that growth in a sustainable fashion, we must naturally continue to work on emissions and waste management. We must also consider the quality, character and distinctiveness of our scenic landscape and historic urban areas to ensure that they are conserved and that eutrophication of inland waters is prevented.

I will say a few words about Fáilte Ireland and our role. We are relative newcomers to the area. Overseas visitors are of key importance to us, and they have high expectations of the natural environment. The challenge facing us is to ensure that our green, clean image is matched by the environmental reality and that visitors' expectations are met. We have an environmental unit with three or four key objectives: to place environmental issues at the core of sustainable tourism policy at national and regional level; to improve the environmental performance of the tourism industry itself; and to influence the location, siting and design of new developments in areas of high tourist amenity. I should underline that because we are very focused. There are many players in this area, but our key concern is impact on tourist amenity. Finally, eco-tourism is to be developed as a strong product.

We have a comprehensive research programme, which we can go into later if need be. It is designed to look at the impact of tourism on the environment and the impact of the environment on tourism. Last year we carried out research on how scenic landscapes are identified and managed in Ireland. At present Ireland does not have a national map of landscapes which are valued for their scenic and tourism qualities. We are working with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government as well as the Heritage Council to devise a national landscape character assessment for the country.

We are just completing a review of good environmental practice within the tourism industry. Last year we published environmental guidelines for festivals and events and assisted in the introduction of environmental standards for the management of golf courses, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Golfing Union of Ireland. This initiative resulted in the prestigious eco-management award being conferred on Carton House Golf Club and the K Club during 2006 in time for both the Irish Open and the Ryder Cup, respectively.

The coming year will be busy. We hope to undertake a number of assessments, looking at climate change and tourism, water quality and aquaculture, angling tourism, the impact of holiday homes on environmental and social capital, wind farms and, last but not least, the environmental context of tourism education and training, in which we are also heavily involved. Our objective is to produce a number of position papers setting out our views on a number of issues. We are currently preparing papers on eco-tourism, wind farms, litter, scenic landscapes and genetically modified foods. We also work with the tourism industry to ensure that the sustainability of enterprise is enhanced through increasing energy efficiency, reducing carbon-based fuels and minimising waste. Last year we launched a grant scheme within a wider tourism product development programme, which contributed to the accumulation of knowledge and understanding of best practice in the management of tourism environmental issues. A few examples involve visitor and traffic management, area-based planning analysis of caring capacity, training in litter control and the development of alternative touring routes.

We are about to become involved in the introduction of eco-labouring for the tourism industry, probably looking at the accommodation sector first. We believe we should be taking a negative view of tourism developments or promoters who purport to enshrine the principles of sustainable or eco-tourism but are in fact in contravention of such principles — engaging in a practice known as green washing. Our objective is to ensure that high environmental standards are met. Yesterday saw the launch of the Government's Notice Nature campaign, designed to increase awareness of Ireland's rich biodiversity. We will work with that campaign to promote the benefits of the natural environment which can be gained from implementing sustainable tourism practices. Such practices are being examined in a project at the Burren managed by Burren Beo. The project is called the Burren Tourism Environment Initiative and sets out to demonstrate the best practices associated with the integration of environmental protection, rural development and tourism development in the protection of the heritage and landscape of the Burren region.

That really concludes what I have to say by way of an opening statement. I hope I have succeeded in giving a flavour of what we are trying to do in these very early days in this area. Mr. Matthews and I shall be happy to elaborate on anything I have covered, or to deal with any other issues that may be raised by the committee.

Acting Chairman

I thank Mr. Quinn for his presentation.

Deputy McCormack

Mr. Quinn said in his address that the number of overseas visitors was up by 9%. Do we differentiate between overseas tourists and people who are returning to Ireland to visit families?

Mr. Quinn

Yes, the overall figure for visitors from abroad includes three or four categories. The two main categories are holiday makers and those visiting families, friends and relatives. The latter are tourists in their own right because they spend money when they are here and often travel within the island. The growth in these categories last year was some 10% in each case.

Deputy McCormack

How are these figures measured? If I go abroad for a week, for instance, am I counted as a person coming into the country on my return?

Mr. Quinn

No, these statistics are collected by the CSO, which applies a definition that extracts such incoming travellers from tourist numbers. Such journeys are not classified with those defined as casual travel.

Deputy Gilmore

I welcome the representatives of Fáilte Ireland. Will the delegation summarise the information garnered from the research undertaken in 2006 on visitor attitudes to genetically modified crops and litter? Do the delegates consider holiday homes a plus or a minus in tourism terms?

Mr. Paddy Matthews

A survey was undertaken on our behalf last year by the Dublin Institute of Technology based on a sample of tourists visiting the Dublin area. We wished to explore the level of awareness among overseas visitors of Ireland's current GM-free status and whether the introduction of genetically modified crops was likely to have an impact on visitor perceptions of our clean, green image.

The consultants are preparing a position paper on the findings of this survey. As of now, we have only initial top-line results. These indicate a low level of awareness among overseas visitors of the situation in regard to genetically modified organisms — some 87% were not aware of Ireland's GM-free status. Another initial finding from the survey is that a decision by the State to sanction the development of GM crops is not something that would alter potential visitors' decision to come here. However, it seems it might affect their perception of the country once they got here, depending on their own attitudes to GM crops.

A caveat is that we should recognise the limits of the survey sample, which was restricted to visitors to the Dublin area. One assumes that a proportion of those visitors travelled outside Dublin into the regions, but that data is not yet available. It is difficult to draw overall conclusions from the survey, but we hope to have the full results in the next four to six weeks and I can make those available to the committee.

Last year, 2006, was the first year in which we used the visitor attitude survey to delve deeply into the litter issue. In addition to the one question on litter contained on the previous survey form, we included an additional six. Fáilte Ireland is represented on the national litter monitoring body, which operates under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. This issue was raised with our delegates who attended the last two annual litter wardens' conferences. Arising from our involvement in these conferences, we decided, in the first instance, to produce environmental guidelines on festivals and events. The feedback from litter wardens was that these types of events were significant litter generators and that there was a need for better guidance in this regard. The guidelines cover such issues as litter, waste management, public procurement issues and energy efficiency.

The survey indicated that 60% of overseas visitors believed the litter on Ireland's street was worse than in their own country. That was the main finding from the survey. At present, we only have the top-line results and have not analysed them to ascertain whether the attitudes of visitors from one country are stronger or weaker than those from others.

Holiday homes constitute a highly important part of the tourism product. In recent years, holiday homes have tended to be developed in coastal resorts in the first instance. Nearly ten years ago, a tax incentive scheme incentivised their development in certain coastal areas. While they constitute an important part of the tourism product, from a planning perspective they should be governed by the same rural housing design guidelines as are ordinary houses.

Issues also arise regarding the numbers of holiday homes relative to the numbers of permanent residential homes, the resultant type of settlement and the degree to which it is attractive for the permanent population to live in such areas. Last year, we were highly encouraged to see an example of good practice. I refer to Donegal County Council's 2006 development plan. The council carried out an in-depth analysis of holiday home dispersal within the county and the impact of the presence of quite a large number of holiday homes in certain areas on the social capital enjoyed by permanent residents in coastal resorts. Donegal County Council's policy response in its development plan was to place a future limit of 20% on the acceptable number of holiday homes within any given settlement. From the perspective of Fáilte Ireland, this constitutes a positive development. This year, we hope to conduct a wider study on the impact of holiday homes on social and environmental capital. While we have not deeply considered this issue heretofore, the example of Donegal County Council is positive.

Senator Brady

I also welcome Mr. Quinn and Mr. Matthews and thank them for their presentation. There appear to be many crossover points in respect of matters dealt with by the local authorities. For instance, I refer to the planning process, minimising waste, conserving water and similar matters. While the environmental unit is still relatively new, how do the witnesses envisage the growth of their relationship with the local authorities? I refer primarily to Dublin, where Dublin City Council has a highly significant role regarding many of the matters covered by the environmental unit. What relationships exist with the local authorities? For instance, Mr. Matthews mentioned Donegal County Council.

Mr. Matthews

While the points of contact with local authorities are varied, from the planning perspective they are twofold. First, in respect of making inputs to development plans, as a prescribed body we are informed when a local authority is about to review its development plan. We seek to have an input into the content of the tourism policy to ensure it is underpinned by sustainability objectives.

Second, in respect of planning applications, as a prescribed authority local authorities refer relevant planning applications to us. Slightly more than 10,000 applications were referred to us in 2006. The number of employees in the environment unit limits the number of applications to which we can respond. This year, our target is to respond to approximately 120 applications, approximately two or three per week.

We do not envisage becoming deeply involved in the planning application area and will take great care in choosing the applications to which we will respond. Moreover, we have in place criteria to help us whittle down the initial 10,000 applications to the approximately 100 applications with which we will choose to become involved. In general, they will be applications in which the development is likely to have a significant negative impact on a tourist amenity or a tourism resource. We also try to influence tourism-related developments. This determines the type of application with which we become involved and constitutes a second point of contact with local authorities.

With regard to energy efficiency and waste management, we are working with the various bodies such as the Irish Hotels Federation and the Irish Hospitality Institute in looking at various sectors of the industry, particularly the accommodation sector, which is making strides in reducing the amount of waste generated by hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfast facilities. We are also trying to increase energy efficiency because there is a significant cost saving to be made for those businesses. This is something local authorities are also trying to promote, so there is a synergy between us and local authorities.

Senator Brady

Does Fáilte Ireland have direct contact with frontline workers on the streets, for example litter wardens?

Mr. Matthews

We are on the litter monitoring body and attend the litter wardens' annual conference. We made presentations at the conference last November and at the previous conference. We listen closely to the kind of problems they encounter. Last year, festivals and events were listed as a problem area and we acted on that and produced guidelines for such occasions. This year the conference drew attention to the issue of litter on beaches and in the context of the blue flag scheme this is an area of interest for us. We hope to work with the litter wardens on positive initiatives in terms of litter on beaches during 2007.

Mr. Quinn

The other significant development for us as an organisation in 2006 was that we merged with the regional tourism authorities around the country. Now we have senior teams of people around the country linking closely with county managers and planners. These play a partnership role on the boards we have put in place. There is a limit to what an environmental unit can do centrally in Dublin, but we expect these additional resources around the country will offer some leverage for the future.

Deputy Morgan

I welcome Mr. Quinn and Mr. Matthews to the committee and thank them for their presentation. Unfortunately the meeting is taking place against the backdrop of the lockout at Baggot Street and Pembroke Road.

Is eco-tourism developing at a reasonable rate and is there much potential in this area? Can Fáilte Ireland provide any figures in that regard? With regard to the impact of tourism on the environment and vice versa and Fáilte Ireland’s review of good environmental practice, does the EPA work with Fáilte Ireland on that? When is the completed review expected?

Deputy Gilmore mentioned the area of holiday homes. Does Fáilte Ireland encourage particular types of holiday homes and can the delegation elaborate on the matter of design issues, which is an area we find testing and controversial? Wind farms were also mentioned. We expect a proliferation of wind farms in the near future and many of us welcome this prospect of alternative energy. Will the delegation elaborate on that area? We were told that DIT is working on the survey of holiday homes. Who is working on the wind farm issue or helping out in that review? When will that review be complete?

I mentioned the lockouts at Pembroke Road and Baggot Street. These are unseemly and unsightly and do not present a good image for tourism. Is there any prospect of meeting the representatives of the workers to try and resolve that totally unnecessary lockout, which is a throwback to all that is bad regarding industrial relations. We should be beyond that. What comment would the delegation make on that?

Acting Chairman

I leave the delegation the option of commenting on the final question to itself. Feel free not to comment on the issue as you wish as it is outside the remit of this discussion.

Deputy Morgan

I raised it because it is a topical live issue.

Acting Chairman

We should confine the discussion to environmental issues.

Mr. Quinn

I have a difficulty with commenting on the issue and there is a limit to what I can say. It is a regrettable development and something we have tried to avoid over the past three years. It is a serious issue because it concerns a binding decision of the Labour Court, but I cannot explain the implications of that. It is not a lock-out. It is, in effect, a strike.

Deputy Morgan

It is, effectively, a lockout.

Mr. Quinn

We have opened new premises for the said staff. I am glad to report that the Labour Relations Commission has intervened. As that process is under way as we speak I do not wish to prejudice its outcome.

Mr. Matthews

The global market for eco-tourism is growing. One could say it is in the incubation stage at present within an area known in Ireland as the green box, that is, counties Leitrim and Fermanagh and parts of the surrounding counties. This is a cross-Border initiative to establish an area where the conditions in which eco-tourism can thrive can be examined. This market is growing internationally and is very successful in Australia and in parts of Africa and America where there is a very strong natural environment. There is much room to capitalise on this market in Ireland, given the wealth of our biodiversity. Eco-tourism differs from sustainable tourism, which tries to minimise the impact of tourism on the environment. Eco-tourism tries to go one step further and give something back by promoting the positive conservation of the resource it is exploiting. There is room for growth in this area and we are waiting to see how the green box project develops.

The good practice review is being carried out across five sectors within the industry. These include: transport; accommodation; attractions, concentrating on the top 50 attractions in Ireland; various tourism activities; and destination management. The review is being carried out by a firm of consultants who will initially report to us within the next four to six weeks. We have not yet had a report of the review. It will highlight the areas where we need to concentrate our own resources with regard to promoting better environmental management within the industry over the next three years. When the report has been delivered to us I will be happy to pass it on to the committee. We expect to have received it by the middle of February.

Deputy Morgan

Who was working on the report? Is the Environmental Protection Agency involved in it?

Mr. Matthews

It was involved in a consultative manner. When we receive the draft report we will circulate it to a number of bodies, including the EPA, and we will seek their inputs at that stage.

Deputy Morgan

What about holiday homes?

Mr. Matthews

With regard to the siting and design of holiday homes, there are different development models throughout the world. The approach in some countries is that holiday homes should be there but should not be seen. In other countries they are regarded as an asset which should be made more visible. They have a potential visual impact on the environment in certain sensitive areas, particularly coastal areas. We need to be careful about how we site and design these houses. This year, we hope to carry out an in-depth analysis, based on the work already done by Donegal County Council, and to look at where holiday homes have and have not worked nationally. We will try to extrapolate from that some good practice guidance for the siting and design of holiday homes in the future.

Deputy Morgan

Most of us know there is huge potential for additional holiday homes. However, many people who would like to develop projects in this area are concerned about investing in holiday homes because of their negative environmental impact. Local authorities and planners do not have a coherent view on the issue. It would be wonderful if policy on this issue could be bundled. A design which was appropriate to the environment and to local communities could offer significant potential. I look forward to hearing of work being done by Fáilte Ireland on this issue.

Mr. Matthews

From an overseas visitor's point of view, wind farms have the potential to contribute to our overall clean, green image as they contribute to our share of renewable energy generation. However, depending on where they are located, they have the potential to detract from highly scenic landscapes and, therefore, have a potential impact on the tourism resource. We must be careful about where they are located.

The recent guidelines from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government are very good in guiding developers as to opportunity areas for wind farms. The guidelines advocate that each local authority prepares what are essentially opportunity maps. These maps identify where the most sensitive areas within the county are located and which areas are most scenically valuable and advise that developers of wind farms stay away from those areas. At the same time, the maps identify areas which have adequate wind speeds for wind farms to concentrate on developing those areas. From the perspective of tourism, not much is known in the long term about what visitor attitudes will be towards wind farms in Ireland going beyond the number of wind farms we have currently developed so it is an area of research in which we must carry out work this year. It is proposed to begin it in February or March and hopefully finish by September or October.

Deputy Morgan

I assume it will be circulated to us in due course?

Mr. Matthews

Yes, it will.

Deputy Morgan

I hope the Labour Relations Commission is successful in sorting out that other mess.

Senator Bannon

I also welcome Mr. Quinn and Mr. Matthews from Fáilte Ireland to this meeting and thank them for their most informative and interesting presentation. Our environment, as we all know, is generally of good quality and represents one of our most essential assets. It is important that we protect it for future generations and we all have a role to play in improving its quality.

There is a proposal with regard to the construction of a water mains from the River Shannon to give Dublin city its water. Do Mr. Quinn and Mr. Matthews have a view on that? Another serious problem hit angling in the midlands last year. A specimen of fish called the chub fish was introduced by a British angler into Irish waterways. This fish has destroyed the natural fishing stocks in many lakes and rivers in the midlands. I am involved in an angling association, am in constant contact with anglers and am very much aware of this. There was an investigation and I understand one person was prosecuted for introducing this specimen of fish. What further action can be taken? I understand that once this fish has been introduced into our waterways, it will be difficult to get rid of. This issue must be addressed and taken up with the tourism authorities and the British Government. I understand the fish came into this country from the UK.

Another problem we face is access to historic sites and monuments, rivers and lakes. If these areas are in private ownership, there is a significant problem with insurance. Farmers and landowners do not like trespassing on their lands. Another problem which has arisen in recent years relates to the REP schemes, which benefit the environment, farming and tourism. There is a requirement with regard to the fencing off of our lakes and rivers. From time to time, one hears about a little conflict between farmers and tourists because of matters like the breaking down of fencing. Farmers can be left in a situation of non-compliance with the regulations because of trespassing.

These issues need to be addressed and it is important that there be ongoing discussions with the farming organisations with regard to getting it right. It is important that a little commonsense prevails between the implementation agencies in respect of REPS because I know people who have had a percentage of their REPS money deducted due to non-compliance through no fault of the landowners. There should be some sort of co-operation between the various Departments on this issue.

The REP schemes are very good and should be expanded. Fáilte Ireland has a role to play in encouraging the expansion of the schemes. We have many traditional farmyards with old stone buildings, etc., which are part of our heritage and culture. We should devise a system to encourage and expand the scheme, as it would be of benefit to farmers, tourism and the economy generally.

I have had a view on the regional boards for some time. While I do not want to be parochial, Longford is in the midlands-east region, even though the headquarters is in Mullingar. We feel that we must always suck the hind tit when it comes to the promotion of tourism in County Longford. The recent Central Statistics Office figures bear this out. Per head of population, fewer visitors come to our county than to any other county. We have a considerable amount to offer. We have the River Shannon, lakes, fine angling facilities, etc. We feel our county is not properly promoted. There could be a midlands regional tourism board. We have a product to promote similar to that in Roscommon, Cavan, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly. The existing regional boards have outlived their usefulness and should be reconsidered because the midlands have a different product to sell.

The issue of insurance needs to be addressed. We need a national scheme for people who allow trespass on their property. Recreational facilities for visitors and for local communities have not kept pace with development in many areas. There are many housing developments across the east coast, midlands and the west, but recreational facilities have not kept pace. To bring tourism into an area, something requires providing for the tourists to do there. We need more flagship projects across the country for tourism. Some time ago the committee received a presentation on a national park for the midlands in the cutaway bogs, etc. Has that project progressed or are there plans to progress it further in the short term?

Mr. Quinn

I will deal with the issues mentioned towards the end regarding the regional boards. We believe the traditional way the former boards operated was too restrictive. They were bound by county boundaries and in terms of what today's customer wants and understands, we need to change and be more flexible. I take the Senator's point, with which I fully agree. In some instances it can make more sense for an area like Longford or Westmeath to be tied in with counties such as Cavan and Monaghan in a lakelands grouping, which may have been prohibited heretofore.

Under the new arrangements we have put in place in the past year, we would envisage considerably more flexibility. From a marketing point of view we will see more meaningful co-operation between similar areas of the country. That said, it is not just down to marketing and promotion. There is a product development and investment need in the midlands in general, not to mind around the coast. We look forward to the upcoming national development plan, which may address some of those issues.

Before I pass to Mr. Matthews on the other matters, the Senator raised the issue of access to land, attractions, etc, and the dialogue with farming organisations. I could not agree with him more. Along with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, we have been very much involved particularly regarding access to lands for walking. Many of those issues can often be addressed better locally than nationally. It is not just a one-track approach. Mr. Matthews will talk about the other issue.

Mr. Matthews

Fáilte Ireland has not been directly consulted on the water main from the Shannon. If we are asked to give our views on it or to make any other input on the matter, we will express our primary concern, which relates to the potential impact of such a scheme on fisheries and the cruising product. We would be worried about such an impact on the Shannon resource. It is not something we need to express a view on at present.

I was asked about the impact of invasive species such as the chub. I live beside Lough Owel, which is just outside Mullingar, so I am well aware of the issue in question. I heard a great deal about it last year, when I was trying to learn to fish. I have met the local fisheries managers in the area to discuss the matter. They are very concerned about it. The effect of the chub is essentially to push the freshwater trout out of its natural habitat. It is a bigger problem in rivers than in lakes because the chub prefers fast-flowing water. It has the potential to be as much of a problem as the zebra mussel, which was introduced in this country by accident a number of years ago. It is suspected that the chub was deliberately introduced in waterways in the midlands.

The chub has the potential to have a serious impact on angling tourism. We want to initiate a deeper examination of the matter this year. We are in constant touch with the Central Fisheries Board, the regional fisheries boards and, particularly, the river basin district management groups. We are represented on the Shannon river basin district management group. This issue has been discussed in that forum.

Senator Bannon

I also asked about the expansion of the rural environment protection scheme in the context of the refurbishment of traditional farmyards, etc.

Mr. Matthews

The rural environment protection scheme can play a role in land management and conservation, especially if we are to meet the expectations of tourists, who come to Ireland with an expectation of what the landscape will look like. If landscape is determined by land use, it has the potential to change as agricultural policies change. The scheme has had some success in playing a positive part in ensuring that many of the traditional aspects of the Irish landscape have been maintained. I hope it will continue to have a positive impact on tourism.

I was also asked about walking routes and access issues. The approach that Fáilte Ireland has taken has been to capitalise on the routes on which access has not been an issue. Over the last year, it has worked on the development of a number of circular routes and looped walks, which are now publicised on a website, www.walkingireland.ie. Fáilte Ireland has tried to identify routes and to publicise those on which access is not a particular issue.

Deputy Kelleher

I welcome Mr. Quinn and Mr. Matthews. I apologise for arriving late for the presentation. I would like to raise an issue of concern. We have placed a substantial emphasis in recent years on increasing the quality of hotel accommodation and providing massive capital allowances for hotels and bed and breakfast providers. We seem to have forgotten to support caravan and camping sites, which comprise a key niche in the tourism sector. We will rue our failure to place more emphasis on investment in caravan and camping parks. We do not have any capital allowances for them, for example. We provided such allowances for hotels, etc., but we did not take similar steps to assist those who are offering proper accommodation to people who want to stay in caravan and camping parks.

Surveys have shown that 82% of visitors to Ireland rate its scenery as an important reason for visiting and 77% of them refer to Ireland's natural and unspoilt environment. If we are to curtail development by imposing more serious planning restrictions on coastal communities, in particular, we will have to find another way of accommodating people who want to visit naturally beautiful areas. If such people cannot stay in hotels as a result of planning restrictions and there are not enough holiday homes, bed and breakfasts, etc., there will have to be a greater emphasis on caravan and camping parks. The lack of emphasis on caravan and camping parks should be reconsidered. While I understand there was a necessity in former times for capital allowances to stimulate growth, the matter has been neglected despite the fact that any problems have been addressed. In France, Spain and Italy, they have superb facilities. I do not buy the argument that we have a problem with the weather. The people who visit Ireland are well aware of our weather conditions, especially those who come with caravans or to camp. The problem is not the weather but that we do not have enough proper camping facilities, which is a matter the witnesses might refer to when summing up. I ask also if they support the introduction of capital allowances for registered caravan and camping parks to provide proper facilities for their clients.

Mr. Quinn

There has been a great increase in accommodation in Ireland over the past five to ten years. According to our latest figures, there has been an increase in hotels of approximately 850 while the number of bedrooms has increased by approximately 12,000. The number of self-catering holiday homes has also increased considerably. If 87 cent of every €1 invested in tourism over the past three or four years has been invested in beds and 13 cent invested in attractions and things to do, there needs to be something of a shift in how money is spent in the period of the next national development plan. There is a need to shift spending to attractions and activities. While we have not researched the matter in great detail, we are concerned at developments in the bed and breakfast sector and in the context of traditional accommodation types which may need some form of relief. However, we will see what emerges in the next NDP. I take the Deputy's point.

Senator Brennan

I also wish the Chairman well for the future and welcome the deputation. My questions relate to the tourism and environmental grant scheme and the nature campaign which was launched yesterday. The heritage towns scheme was developed nationally 15 years ago with departmental contributions from both the arts and environment perspectives. The Minister spoke recently of upgrading the facilities involved. It is fine to have small facilities like nature walks and sustainable development through local authorities that make a difference at local level and to bed and breakfast businesses. Will grants be recommended to upgrade such facilities by providing, for example, sustainable solar powered lighting along riverbanks in towns and villages? What is Fáilte Ireland's role? Will it identify those tourism facilities that will benefit bed and breakfast businesses and hotels and progress plans accordingly with grant assistance? While local authorities have developed the basic infrastructure, can the Department recommend grant aid where it sees that improvements can be made?

Mr. Matthews

The heritage towns project ran from the early 1990s to 2000 and the funding for it has been exhausted. We hope over the term of the next national development plan to reintroduce an expanded initiative for historic towns, which will include but not be limited to the original heritage towns. The focus will be on tourism signage issues and conservation within historic towns, especially their historic centres. Architectural conservation areas and protected structures will be addressed to ensure that the quality, character and distinctiveness of those places, which are themselves important tourist attractions, is maintained. We hope, in association with organisations such as the Heritage Council, to work on that type of issues. The original scheme will be brought to a different level and different aspects of the tourism product will be considered. Various grants may be made available within the proposed scheme for various works, especially tourism signage. We have been working with the NRA in particular which has been revising its policy on tourism signage over the past eight or nine months. Its policy will be applicable to historic towns.

Acting Chairman

I thank Mr. Quinn and Mr. Matthews for attending this informative meeting. I welcome Mr. Matthews's comment that Fáilte Ireland does not propose to get deeply involved in the planning process. Although it is a prescribed body, several other organisations can deal with planning issues. Judging from this discussion, Fáilte Ireland has enough work to do. I look forward to Mr. Quinn and Mr. Matthews appearing before the joint committee again.

Senator Bannon

We did not address the issue of signage, which has an impact on the environment. Tourists encounter problems with signs, particularly when they move in windy conditions. Will Fáilte Ireland consider replacing the round posts on which tourism signs are mounted with square posts to ensure signage does not move?

Mr. Matthews

The National Roads Authority is addressing that issue. It introduced a national re-signage programme last year, which will run for the next four years. It has a significant amount of money available to it for re-signage and is proceeding on a route by route basis. It will re-sign all national routes over the next four years during which it will address issues such as that raised by the Senator.

The joint committee adjourned at 3.05 p.m. until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, 31 January 2007.