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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 25 Jun 1996

Vol. 148 No. 3

Tourism Industry: Statements.

I thank Senators for their interesting contributions to debates on tourism. To date, we have had a useful and wide ranging debate on Irish national tourism policy, performance and prospects for the future.

Irish tourism is going through a period of unprecedented and sustained growth. The optimum support structures have been put in place in order to promote further development and the prospects for the future have never looked better. It might be useful at this point in the debate to recap on some of the key points that illustrate this success.

While the targets the Government has set for tourism are ambitious, we are well on course towards achieving them. Ireland was the top performing tourism destination in Europe in 1995, with revenue growth of 12 per cent over 1994, compared with a European average of 2.3 per cent. Revenue from British tourists was up by 13 per cent. North American tourism revenue was up by 30 per cent and revenue from mainland Europe increased by approximately 12 per cent.

Job creation targets are also being met and the sector is now estimated by Bord Fáilte to sustain 102,000 jobs — an increase of 50 per cent since 1988. Indeed, tourism will soon outstrip agriculture as a provider of jobs in our economy.

Concern has been expressed about the variations in the growth of tourism among the regions. Contrary to some opinions that have been expressed on the subject, all of the regions are benefiting from the growth, a point which I have already illustrated in my earlier statement. Not only that, but the past and future strategy development of tourism development takes full account of the need for regional development and provides a platform for each region to realise its potential. Indeed, some of the programmes and measures which assist tourism projects, such as the pilot tax relief scheme for certain resort areas, the International Fund for Ireland, INTERREG, the Leader Programme and the agritourism scheme could, by their nature, be said to be weighted in favour of regional development.

The value of domestic tourism to the economy generally and specifically to the regions has not always been fully appreciated in the past. I am sure the House will agree that the domestic tourism marketing initiative which I recently announced in this regard will prove very useful. For the first time the Government has made a contribution of £500,000 dealing specifically with the domestic market. Ireland is targeting an overall growth of 10 per cent in inbound tourism in 1996. With the active promotion by the industry in all regions and sectors, all the regions can participate in this growth.

The restructuring of Bord Fáilte is well on course. Its home marketing activities are being extensively supplemented by a total projected marketing spend of £125 million in the Operational Programme for Tourism which will support marketing campaigns focusing on improving seasonality, access, developing new markets, attracting high yield business and co-operative marketing on a product or geographical basis. The Overseas Tourism Marketing Initiative, OTMI, which represents a unique partnership of Bord Fáilte, the Northern Ireland Tourism Board and the tourism industry, North and South, is proving especially successful.

New and improved arrangements have been put in place to ensure the optimum co-ordination between Government Departments and agencies involved in tourism and greater emphasis is being put on manpower policy. Together with the other policies outlined in the debate, the framework has been put in place to ensure planned development of a sustainable tourism industry into the next millennium. There is no room for complacency and the perceived problems of the regional imbalances must be addressed. Nevertheless, it is clear that we can not only realise our national tourism targets but the conditions are there for each of the regions to realise its own potential.

I commend the Minister of State for the tone he set in this debate. None of us has a monopoly on wisdom in this regard, however one can only but enthusiastically endorse the comments of the Minister of State with regard to the phenomenal growth in tourism numbers this country has experienced over the last number of years. I am sure the Minister of State and tourism interests will agree that this growth also brings problems and challenges for the future. I wish to dwell on both and also on the regional structure of what might be referred to as the marketing arm of tourism in this country.

Will the growth be sustained? All the projections over the past number of years appear to indicate that tourism and the leisure market will be the biggest single growth industry into the next millennium. If this is to be the case, are we to be content with the sporadic nature of the deluge coming upon us in this country that started some years ago with the First Operational Programme for Tourism in 1989? We are now continuing into the second operational programme and I hope there will be third operational programme, despite the prophets of doom who say we will have our funds taken away from us at the end of the millennium. To somebody living in County Leitrim — I should refer to it as lovely Leitrim from now on, given that we are discussing tourism——

Why not?

No doubt my colleagues will say their counties are equally beautiful so I will not be behind the door in that regard.

The holy ground.

To somebody living in County Leitrim, Kerry and the southwest were traditionally the key areas for inward and home based tourism, but it now appears Dublin and the east coast have taken on that mantle. The growth of tourism numbers in the Dublin area is phenomenal and the number of bed nights continues to increase. At last count it was estimated that 20 new hotels are being built and that they will be up and running before the end of the decade. However, concerns are being expressed about this level of projected or actual growth, particularly with regard to the type of visitor to the capital city.

It was recently suggested that while we are all basking in the reflected glory of the Eurovision and the various other benefits which have come our way in terms of highlighting Dublin, the city is now seen as a swinging place for people who come to the country for a couple of days and then leave. This is a particular niche in the tourism market which should be welcomed, but I hope Ireland will not end up as a stop over venue for weekenders. This would not be of benefit to the wider national economy and questions are being raised in that regard in terms of whether the attributes of the city should be expanded or reoriented in a different marketing strategy.

People complained about backpackers in the past, but today they are complaining about weekenders. This aspects poses challenges and problems as the capital city expands, but all Members will agree the face of Dublin has changed to an extraordinary degree in our life time. I am showing my age — although I do not go back as far as the trams — but I remember the destruction of Georgian Dublin in the 1960s and the social revolution of that time when it appeared there was no appreciation of our cultural and architectural heritage. The position is a complete reversal today and the Georgian and architecturally historical aspects of Dublin are now being trumpeted. This is right and proper, but have yesterday's revolutionaries turned into today's ecologists and environmentalists, or did they chase the mighty dollar and are long gone?

I hope those involved in tourism, in addition to the Government and State agencies, are examining these issues and preparing strategic plans for the future. For example, cultural tourism in the continental market is a growth area and this should be exploited more than at present. We should not be so defensive about our historical or cultural attractions but rather celebrate them. I make these remarks in the context of the apparent begrudgery which surrounded the winning of the Eurovision song contest recently. Ireland had a world wide television captured audience and not only did it project all that was good about the country but the winning song was not part of what might be referred to as the international pop criteria. It sprang from our culture; it was distinctive and different and Irish in its content and delivery. It showed we have something separate to offer and more emphasis should be placed on the cultural side of our tourism rather than the glitzy side.

I come from a Border county and I might be accused by my colleagues from other areas of taking a blinkered or prejudiced approach because it is possible the problems the Border counties are facing in terms of tourism may not be experienced by other parts of the country. The current regional structure is not working. The Border counties, due to the history of how they became Border counties, have been artificially gelled together in the North-West Regional Tourism Organisation. Marketing personnel, based in an office in Sligo, are responsible for marketing the diversity of a geographical area which stretches from Malin Head in the north-west to Carlingford Lough in the far north-east.

Each component of the region has something separate and distinctive to offer and it has been a cause of concern to my friends in Cavan and Monaghan in particular that the type of tourism image they wish to project conflicts greatly with the image Donegal and Sligo wish to project. Leitrim also comes within the ambit of what might generally be termed the lakeland region. If we are serious about marketing Ireland North and South — everybody welcomes the joint marketing between the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Bord Fáilte — perhaps it is time to consider rejigging the areas. For example, Fermanagh, Cavan, Leitrim and parts of north Roscommon would fit into what might be termed a lakeland region. Northern parts of Senator Belton's county, Longford, could also be included in a lakeland fishing area.

The area has particular water based strengths, including, as Senator Magner will testify, Shannon boat activities and fishing, and does not share the same type of attractions, physical or otherwise, with Donegal or Louth. I am not sure this is true of other parts of the country. Some dissatisfaction is inevitable when counties are grouped together in a regional structure. However, the dissatisfaction being expressed in the north-west region in particular can no longer be ignored. I do not have a solution, but perhaps part of the answer lies in closer liaison and integration of the region as a single tourism product, North or South, rather than sticking rigidly, legally and constitutionally to the idea of the southern Border counties as one group.

The Minister referred to the various tax relief schemes for coastal resorts, the IFI, INTERREG, Leader and agri tourism. The 1994-99 Operational Programme for Tourism contained a number of welcome innovations in relation to grant aid — up to 75 per cent in some cases — for the provision of bed nights. However, there are few top class hotels in my region and those that are top class meet that standard, including the Slieve Russell Hotel in Ballyconnell and various hotels in Bundoran, such as the recently opened Allingham Arms. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of top class hotels in the region which is hoping to gain more from tourism than any other activity in economic terms because there are not many industries.

Another difficulty in the area is the lack of seed capital. Sufficient investment capital is not available to build the type of tourism facilities with which the Minister is familiar in Cork and Kerry. More money for investment exists in those areas and there is probably more confidence there in terms of projected growth than in the Border counties because of the perceived volatility of the political situation. All these factors must be taken into account regarding the reason the region is not doing as well as it might, given its natural assets. The grant aid being made available should be examined in the mid-term review. The thresholds are too high for those who wish to get involved. For example, one must build an 18 bedroom hotel of a particular size and make a particular financial investment. The money is not there. It is not that people do not want to do it. There are a lot of people who want to get into the tourism market. I suggest that there should be some scheme, even if it is European-funded, that would allow private individuals to access the market at the bed and breakfast level and get involved in tourism but at a lower level than the current operational programme. If I were to make no other point but that one — and I am grateful to the Cathaoirleach, who has allowed me some indulgence in this regard — then that point, access into tourism at a lower level under the operational programme mid-term review, would go a long way to involving more of us in that area.

May I share some of my time with Senator Belton?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

The Minister is welcome. I am delighted that we have the opportunity to speak on such a constructive motion. It is an area we at long last recognise as our second biggest industry. Tourism is important to Ireland and I am delighted that we are looking at figures of 12 per cent growth in 1995 and, most importantly, that our British tourism is up 13 per cent on the year before. That is an enormous figure. North American tourism is up by 30 per cent.

I want to speak about the Minister of State's area — domestic tourism — where, even though the Government has committed itself to a certain amount of money for 1995, not enough is being done. I know he wishes to improve the promotion of domestic tourism. In the Minister's speech and in our debates on tourism over the last few years, we talk about quality. We can be proud that in the last ten years quality in tourism in Ireland has prevailed. We see that in communities and organisations. The Minister has again emphasised the Government's commitment to making sure that everybody involved in tourism contributes to Government policy. That is an excellent idea. It was long overdue and I congratulate the Minister on that.

Are we looking to mainland Europe? Previous speakers made the point about our culture and European culture. More people are now visiting because of our culture. We are doing well, but are we doing enough? We are not putting enough into our own traditions. I would like to see the quality of our traditions emphasised more. It is an important area.

With respect to domestic tourism, is enough being done by business people to promote domestic tourism because there are golden opportunities there? People are getting a lot of revenue directly from the Exchequer from a tax point of view — in the BES schemes, for instance — but they look at this from a business point of view and not a tourism one. That said, there is one enterprise in Baltimore which deserves great credit and which has upgraded and improved the town in no small way. I would like to see that in many areas and there is no reason it should not be in Leitrim and other counties as well as in West Cork and Kerry.

Let us look at people in tourist areas who see the opportunities and options open to them. We should give great credit to the people of Killarney. They have seen what tourism means to them. We have seen at long last what tourism means to people in other areas. For instance, the town of Dingle is doing exceptionally well now because they can see what tourism means to them. It is not just the months of July, August and September.

We can see opportunities open to us in domestic tourism now that we are now going to places we have not gone to before. Look at what it has created. Look at the number of jobs and, most importantly, the type of job it is creating. Unfortunately, we are in a situation where there is a strong impression that if you are not involved in high technology in Ireland, you are not involved at all. The tourism opportunities are massive. People from CERT are well-regarded and they are not involved in high technology, they are involved in tourism. Young people involved in the tourism trade are now doing exceptionally well. Are they doing well enough? Are there enough of them doing well enough? Should we be doing more for them? The tourism opportunities that can be created for our young people who are not involved in high technology are golden. We should avail of them. It is important and that is why I come back to the Minister's area. I welcome the fact that he, personally, made sure that more money will go into domestic tourism this year. That is why I say that it is not just June, July and August. These young people have so much to give and I see this in many areas.

Kinsale is a town we can congratulate for getting an international award yesterday. You must look at the way Kinsale and its people work and the initiative shown by the business people and by everybody involved, including the work-force. They are committed. There is no difference in Kinsale between Friday, Saturday or Sunday or between a Monday or a Thursday. When they are working, they are working and they are about it. The people of Kinsale deserve great credit. They have learned from Killarney. Dingle has also learned from Killarney. There are other areas that can learn that are not getting the opportunity and that is why we must explore the avenues to create more opportunities for people to get involved in domestic tourism. I ask the Minister, even though he is committed in the budget to providing more money for it, to create these opportunities.

I welcome the Minister and congratulate him on his efforts. I have first hand knowledge through the county tourism committees of his efforts. He has been enthusiastic in developing that structure. While I appreciate there has to be much effort from the interested parties in tourism within a county, it is no harm that they should be encouraged. I feel that the county tourism committees should get financial recognition in the overall tourism promotion strategy.

I will concentrate briefly on the Shannon and the towns along it. This Government has supported traditional tourism areas on the coast. That was through tax reliefs and so on and was highly welcome. I would like to put to the Minister that the same case can be made for towns along the Shannon. We all know that the Shannon is one of the major inland tourism attractions. I know everything cannot be done overnight. It is like filling the potholes on the road: if you are on one road, why are you not on mine? If you are in one area of the country, why are you not in mine? However, it is a policy that should be adopted.

We have had a debate in the past few years about the regions, that one region is getting more than the other, etc. One of the reasons this is so apparent is that our tourism industry has improved and boomed so much in the past few years, especially last year and, hopefully, again this year. It is now obvious that there is a great move towards Ireland. Perhaps one of the reasons is that people are getting away from sun holidays. That is not to say we will not have the sun we had last year, but the general opinion in many countries is that, instead of going for a sun holiday, people are looking elsewhere and our mixed climate is suitable for that. It is also important that we have other backup attractions for tourism.

There is no doubt that fishing and boating holidays are major attractions upon which inland counties, especially in the midlands, depend for tourism. I thank the Minister for his efforts and his consideration. I am happy that our tourism industry has made such major strides in the past year. Jobs came on stream last year from industries serving tourism and hopefully that will happen again this year.

I also recognise the Minister's efforts in the domestic market. Although I know his brief looks more at the involvement of Irish people on holidays, we are talking about the broader picture. Research, development and training are not being sufficiently linked together in the tourism industry. The best test of a grade A hotel in this country is to ask for a sandwich and a cup of coffee at 3.30 p.m. It is a major problem in the service area.

We also need to examine the lack of training. It should not take someone four trips to serve three people in a hotel dining room just because they can only hold two plates at a time. Also, if you ask them about something on the menu they have to go back to the kitchen to check. Small points like that should be brought to the attention of people providing a service, because those who meet the tourists are the ones who create the overall impression. Such people should be confident, competent and able to do the job, but we are losing out on small things.

Many hotels are great at running big dinner functions, yet they cannot provide a sandwich in the afternoon. I have yet to find a grade A hotel in this country which will offer customers three different kinds of sandwich. Usually, they will only give you a ham sandwich with white bread. There is a view that freshly cut sandwiches means that while they were made the day before yesterday, they were only cut today.

Senator Belton referred to small towns along the Shannon. Senator Magner and I attended a reception earlier in the year to launch a report on the Royal Canal. Detailed market research was done for that report on the inflow of tourists to boat hire companies on the river and on the canal. A glance at one page of the report gives you all the information you need about the number of tourists, where they come from, the peak times of year they come, and cheap periods for visits. That was useful information for anyone planning to provide a service along the Royal Canal. I had never seen information like that before, but generally the idea of using long-term research and development in the tourist industry is being missed out on. It should be looked at.

About three weeks ago I was in a restaurant in a midlands town on a Friday night. There were 60 people present and every table was full, yet my wife and I were the only two Irish people there. The developments that are taking place are extraordinary.

The recognition and protection of our strengths is crucial. Not so long ago somebody thought it would be a great idea to concrete over the canals and turn them into motorways. That kind of thing happened all the time. In the 1950s somebody else wanted to flatten the bridge in Banagher but the Inland Waterways Association stopped it from happening.

Positive things have happened also. The opening up of the Shannon-Erne waterway has been a huge development. A sum of £8 million would reopen the Sligo-Galway train line and that money would be recovered through tourism. It would be a great investment and would have obvious commercial spin-off effects. That whole area needs to be opened up to tourism, but it does not have a public transport infrastructure. Such a railway line would provide it. Local groups in Mayo are looking at the idea and the Minister should examine the proposal.

I am glad to see that in Waterford and Wexford local authorities are beginning to become centrally involved in tourism, as are more and more local authorities. In Senator Belton's own county of Longford, Barley harbour is servicing the town of Newtown Cashel, which is two miles from the lake. Hire boats, however, are not allowed into that area, so the tourism business is losing out for the sake of somebody putting a few marker buoys from the harbour to the main navigation channel. It is the kind of issue that local people should be moving on.

It is good to see that the seven bridges across the Royal Canal in counties Westmeath and Longford are now being taken out. That will open up a new inland waterway for tourism to be developed. It is crucial to do such things.

We have the sea, the mountains and the climate, which people look upon as a tourist attraction. This country is beautiful in the autumn, winter and springtime. People may have their doubts about the summer weather, but no one can have any doubt about the autumn or winter weather here. There is nothing as beautiful as walking along Coumeenole beach in the middle of a winter storm. We do not need to have the sun beating down on top of us, because the beauty is there. The development of hill walking and other walks throughout the country is opening up huge areas for tourism.

We must recognise that if we look after the backpackers, they will come back driving their Mercedes. That issue should be kept in mind. Dingle and Kinsale are towns that made a go of tourism because they found a place to suit every visitor. There is a £5 a night hostel and a grade A hotel. There is a pizza takeaway and a top class Egon Ronay restaurant. Down in the harbour fishing boats are moored beside million pound yachts. That is the magic combination that makes this country so special. We do not need to change people or try to manipulate a certain type of tourist. The type of thinking which sets out only to attract people with huge amounts of money is short term because such people go elsewhere on holidays also.

The other issue that has singled out Kinsale and Dingle from many other places is that they used a common marketing approach. In other words, get the tourists on to the main street and may the best service win. The idea of individual hotels or tourism projects trying to do battle with someone else in small towns like Kinsale or Dingle does not work. What worked was when Kinsale invited people along for the food festival, and similar events occured in Dingle. Other towns are doing that now so that people can participate in everything that is available. That is what creates the buzz and people can deal with the local competition.

The licensing laws have created a problem for the tourist industry. They really are unnecessary and if ever there was a need for deregulation it is in this area. They are unhelpful and unnecessary and we should have a good look at them. They are becoming more flexible. The regulations which allow restaurants, particularly new ones, to have drinks licences, which allow the pub industry to move into catering, have opened up the area. It is a final step and the nettle needs to be grasped. It has nothing to do with a liberal agenda or anything else. It is purely a practical approach to a business which is the second largest industry in the world.

It is important that people in this industry are seen to be in full-time employment. I know I am pushing an open door with the Minister on this issue. There will always be temporary work and by its nature there will be peaks and troughs, nonetheless, it is crucial for the long-term future of this industry that people see it as a full-time job for life.

There is one great art being lost in this country today and that is the art of waiting tables. It is seen as a subservient part of the industry. At one time, the person waiting a table was the face of the industry. Somebody to talk to the customer and let them know they are in a special place makes the correct impression and is more important than the facade or the language in which the menu is written.

I compliment the Minister and his officials on their work. I wish the Minister well and hope he will take some of my suggestions on board, in particular the railway between Sligo and Galway.

I would like to share my time with Senator Magner.

An Leas-Chathaoirleach

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome the Minister to the House; this is my first time in the House with him. I congratulate him and the Minister for Tourism and Trade on their efforts and the great work they are doing.

It has been some time since this debate was initiated in the House and I welcome the opportunity, however belated, to make my contribution. Since the last debate, the good news about the Irish economy has continued with some forecasters estimating that the growth last year was higher than 10 per cent. There have also been developments which will impact greatly on the tourism industry and its potential growth.

The precarious position of the peace process in Northern Ireland is a worrying development. The murder of a member of the garda, the bombing in Manchester and the discovery of an arms cache in County Laois present a negative image of Ireland. I have heard that some events planned for the country have been cancelled in light of the speculation that the IRA will not resume its ceasefire. I repeat the calls of all the major political parties in this State to Sinn Féin and the IRA that, without a ceasefire, we all have a lot to lose. I read with interest newspaper reports earlier this week that the recovery of the Northern Ireland economy has not been affected too badly by the resumption of the IRA arms campaign. I am sure that, on the whole, the same applies to the tourism industry here, but we cannot survive any escalation of violence.

There have also been good developments in the implementation of Government policy in this area since we last debated the issue when the Minister announced the establishment of a tourism council. He has done this and the council has met on two occasions. This is a welcome development and I congratulate the Minister for bringing it into being so soon after the debate in the Seanad. The idea behind the council is to allow representatives of all sectors of the tourism industry to play a part in formulating Government policy in this area.

Since April there have also been developments in the promotion of domestic holidays. There is a tendency in this country to over-concentrate on attracting foreign visitors to our shores. This neglects the fact that money spent in Ireland by the Irish people, or foreigners, is to the ultimate advantage of the Irish economy. Each family which decides to holiday here as opposed to abroad spends money in our economy that might have gone elsewhere. In recent years, there has been a proliferation of the domestic break which benefits the tourism sector, particularly in the off-season period. This is indicative of society's growth in affluence and the success of Government policy, for which my party can take considerable credit.

The motion also refers to difficulties in securing adequate manpower for the tourism industry. This is a legitimate concern, despite the huge numbers being trained by CERT for work in the tourism sector. The Malone report stated that the tourism sector could soon face competition from other sectors. This does not surprise me. However, I am not sure that the proposal to establish a national co-ordinating manpower development plan is a solution. Unemployment is reducing. Given the high levels of employment projects for this economy up to the end of the century, labour shortages, particularly in some of the low paid and low skilled sectors of the economy, are bound to emerge. To a great extent the fate of the tourism industry rests with itself. Whether it is an accurate perception, work in the tourism sector is perceived to be largely low skilled, low paid and often entails anti-social working hours. If the tourism sector is to fulfil its potential, this will have to change. It is up to the industry, as well as the Government, to make this happen.

There has been a great deal of debate as to what will happen when the current tranche of Structural Funds runs out. I support efforts to have Ireland treated as a separate number of regions, as is done in other countries. This would ensure a continuation of a level of support. Perhaps this can be used as a way of directing tourism resources to the regions. Whatever happens, we are guaranteed continued financial support from the EU through the operational programme up to and including 1999, which is over three years away. Three years is sufficient time to plan for the future of the tourism industry. Too often in Ireland, we wait until it is too late before we act. Let that not be the case in this instance. I know the Minister and the Minister of State are aware of what to do. We have made a good start and have shown determination in tackling the real issues. I can assure them of my support.

I thank Senator Cashin for sharing his time. I congratulate the Minister of State on presiding over the buoyant domestic tourism sector of the economy.

Domestic tourism is, in some ways, more important than foreign tourism. Once we nurture it, it grows. Provided the product is good, most people will choose their own country. As long as somebody of the calibre of the Minister of State is in charge of that area, we can be sure of an honest product. This is important. We can also take into account the strictures laid upon us by Senator O'Toole — that people should be paid adequately for an important job. I know the Minister of State is committed to this.

There is also tremendous potential for the under-exploited area of North/South relations. If I could persuade my colleague, the Minister for Finance, to divert substantial funds into that area, there would be enormous potential in terms of money generated by people from Northern Ireland visiting the South and vice versa. This could create good relationships between people from both parts of the island and would represent a “good neighbour” policy. I have discussed this matter at length with the Minister of State. When the political dust settles, attractive tourist packages must be introduced on both sides of the Border in order that people can get to know each other.

On today's Order of Business, Senator Finneran raised the issue of the lack of an emergency response system for cruisers that experience difficulties on the River Shannon. I have used that river for leisure purposes for many years and I am glad that I never needed to call on anyone for assistance. There is a sub-aqua group based in Athlone and another in Carrick, but these are private operations. Senator Finneran has proposed, to no avail so far, that the fire brigades based in Carrick, Athlone and Lanesboro be given access to semi-inflatable craft to effect such rescues. If there is, as the Senator stated, a complete lack of cover, the situation is potentially serious. One accident could destroy the entire industry. I understand that a potentially serious incident took place yesterday. Thank God that it did not turn out that way.

I urge the Minister of State to discuss this matter with the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Howlin, to see if cover can be provided through the local fire brigade services or if a Shannon rescue service can be established. This problem impacts on the Minister of State's area of responsibility. I am aware of his interest in sailing and he will know that, in the main, boat hire companies deal with foreign tourists. Very few Irish tourists hire boats, which is due in part to the expense involved and also the fact that they are unfamiliar with the product. It would be possible to substantially extend the season for hire craft if more indigenous tourists could be attracted onto the River Shannon. To do so, we must ensure that it is a safe area for recreation. If a gap exists, I urge the Minister of State and his colleagues to close it as soon as possible.

The Minister of State and his Department have done a terrific job in ensuring the growth of domestic tourism. As Senator Cashin stated, the Minister of State is doing the Revenue Commissioners' job when money is spent in County Donegal and not the Costa del Sol.

We could discuss this area at great length because the potential for tourism in Ireland is an unknown quantity at present. When I was younger I travelled around Europe on a backpacking holiday and I discovered that young Europeans have a limited knowledge of Ireland. People like to believe that Ireland is well known throughout the world, but the reality is that we are a small island nation off the coast of Europe. The average European has very little knowledge of Ireland, which is a very beautiful country. However, not many people are aware of its existence. This problem must be tackled. I am aware that money was spent on marketing and research, but Ireland is of little significance to most people.

We should exploit the fact that there are many Irish people living in countries across the globe. In the early part of this century, many Irish emigrants were successful in business in the lands to which they travelled. People of Irish extraction live in countries such as Argentina and we should tap into these markets. Great potential exists to exploit the vast number of people with an interest in Ireland who do not know much about the country. These people lack the knowledge which would encourage them to visit Ireland.

It must be acknowledged that Ireland is the Aran Islands of Europe. The 6,000 miles of water on the western seaboard provide certain drawbacks; but, regardless of this fact, the Americans seem to retain an interest in this country. While many people visit Ireland, we are not attracting high-spending tourists. Senator O'Toole referred to licensing laws and casinos, issues which must be discussed at some stage. We must be prepared to debate the establishment of casinos and liberalising the licensing laws. It is embarrassing that tourists are unable to enter a premises on Cork's main thoroughfare and order a sandwich at 2.30 p.m. on a Sunday. We are not providing a service to those we hope will return to Ireland in the future.

The issue of casinos must be discussed and accepted as a possibility. I was very disappointed at the recent closed debate on the establishment of a casino in Dublin. I understand the political reasons for this, but we should have an open discussion on this matter. Tourism bodies, trade unions, etc., should be consulted to discover if casinos are viable or of interest. Are they necessary to increase the country's tourism potential? In my opinion, casinos, if organised properly, would attract the type of high-spending tourists who do not visit Ireland at present. These people fly into a town, spend substantial sums of money and leave. We need these type of people also. It is fine to see two backpackers walking around County Roscommon, but such tourists do not spend enormous amounts of money. While such people may return as "high rollers" in the future, we do not have the potential to extract that sort of money from them because we are not supplying the type of service they require in the first instance. The Minister of State should encourage everyone interested in tourism to engage in an open and frank debate about the issue of casinos.

I was glad to discover recently that Ireland has more golf holes per capita than any other country in the world. This fact amazed me at the time. However, I recently took a commuter flight from Cork to Dublin and discovered that the country seems to be one big golf course. We must market the area of golfing holidays, which are a major industry in other countries. Japanese people fly to Australia for a weekend to play golf because the green fees in their own country are so expensive. We must attempt to tap into these niche markets. Many British people travel to Ireland to play golf, but we have not exploited the markets in the Netherlands, northern France or northern Germany. Large numbers of people from these areas could fly into Cork Airport or other regional airports at weekends to play golf and return home on Sunday evenings. Efforts to promote such holidays must be increased. A number of years ago, before the Minister of State assumed office, a tour operator in the Cork area tried to establish golf package holidays. However, he was unable to obtain support and there was not enough information available for him to take the chance of investing in such a venture.

There are a number of issues which we must consider seriously. We must attempt to exploit the great resource of Irish communities in countries throughout the world. Many boasts are made about the numbers of people who claim Irish descent, but to a great extent we have not tapped into this market. There is an international lack of knowledge about Ireland, even within the European Union. If asked about Ireland, young people in Rome, Lisbon or Barcelona could provide little information. I know the Minister is interested in this area and I wish him well. I ask him to take my points on board.

An Leas-Chathaoirleach

When is it proposed to sit again?

At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

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