Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 26 Nov 1997

Vol. 152 No. 15

County Tourism Committees: Motion.

Mr. McGowan

I move:

That the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation consider ways and means of enhancing the role and effectiveness of County Tourism Committees.

I welcome the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Deputy McDaid, to the House to debate this important motion. I know he has sufficient energy to take the tourism industry by the scruff of the neck.

I congratulate the Minister for his courage in tackling those who wanted to get rid of the shamrock as our tourism logo. He got abuse from different people who wanted a shamrock which looked like it had green fly. I could not understand those who thought it was a better logo because the Irish all over the world have no difficulty recognising the shamrock. It is important to have a logo or symbol which is easily recognisable, particularly when people have access to the Internet. I appreciate the stand taken by the Minister against his critics and the establishment. It showed he had courage to do his job.

I was pleased to be appointed spokesperson on tourism. I see the value of promoting tourism in the region I represent and on a cross-Border basis. In 1996 the then Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Deputy Richard Bruton, published a document to promote employment. However, it did not mention the tourism industry as having the potential to create jobs.

The courage shown by the Minister will help him to deal with existing structures. However, that is not a criticism of Bord Fáilte or of the regional tourism boards. Bord Fáilte has done tremendous work in the past by establishing the importance of tourism. However, the industry has overtaken Bord Fáilte. It is only interested in supporting the large players to the detriment of the small businesses in rural Ireland. I ask the Minister to focus on that part of the tourism industry.

I encourage the Minister to look for funding for small businesses. Bord Fáilte — I refer to it as the glasshouse in Baggot Street — was a useful organisation in the past. However, it is far removed from those who want help to provide extra rooms in their guesthouses or small hotels. There is no money available for extra accommodation in rural Ireland apart from that provided by the International Fund for Ireland and administered by Bord Fáilte. That is not the best approach.

We must trust the tourism organisations on a county basis. I encourage the Minister to look at new structures. Regional tourism boards did not receive funding so they were unable to make a contribution to their areas. The manager of the regional tourism board in Sligo told me he did not receive funding so he could only attend conferences and festivals; he was unable to make a direct input. Mr. Denis Doyle, an energetic man from Letterkenny, tried to promote County Donegal but he was not given any resources. There was an organisation on paper but no money was provided. Why do we set up tourism organisations if we do not trust them? The managers of our regional tourism boards are the best people we can find to promote regional tourism, yet they do not receive funding other than that necessary to pay office administration, travelling expenses and salaries.

Small developers in dire need of recognition and support did not receive a recent grant in excess of £3 million for regional tourism in the north-west. It was used instead to build a new office block in Sligo. I cannot understand why a new office was provided for an organisation which does not give money to anyone. The Minister will need all his energy to deal with an organisation which has been stagnant for a long time. I appreciate the Taoiseach's decision to appoint a young energetic man, such as the Minister, to tackle this industry which has so much potential.

Everyone recognises that families no longer live on the side of mountains. Such areas are becoming depopulated. Their only hope is that we develop tourism in rural Ireland. The main focus should not be on the larger players who are competing to build seven or eight hotels in Dublin, which, in itself, is good because it is great to see Ireland compete on the international scene. The potential which exists to develop the Dublin hotel industry can stand alone and we do not need to throw millions of pounds at it. I strongly suggest that we provide assistance by way of grants and soft loans for the small players who have the training, expertise and a history of providing tourism facilities in rural Ireland. I cannot emphasise that enough and I know I am encouraging a Minister who represents a number of the small tourism operators.

A recent article stated that Ireland could price itself out of the market. There is some truth in that because when I went to pay my bill for bed and breakfast after a conference in Limerick recently it cost £95, about twice what I expected.

The Minister's job will not be easy because the established procedures and the existing organisations will make things difficult for him. There is no point in the industry putting out a nice colour brochure every month containing a photograph of the director general of Bord Fáilte — a Donegal man who is probably one of the best directors general which the board has had for a long time — because that organisation does not have the capacity to develop the industry without reorganisation.

I am delighted to have the opportunity to welcome the Minister and to encourage him to take this most important Irish industry by the scruff of the neck and reorganise it. I also encourage him to support the existing training organisations. I read recently that he recognised that there is a serious shortage of trained people to deliver an up to date service in the tourism industry.

I wish the Minister many years of success. He has a tough job but I have complete confidence in him.

Labhrás Ó Murchú

I second the motion. Tá an-áthas orm go bhfuil turasóireacht á plé anseo sa Seanad agus go bhfuil an tAire i láthair linn. Tá áthas orm freisin go bhfuil béim á cur sa rún seo ar thurasóireacht ar leibhéal áitiúil mar is é seo bunchloch na turasóireachta. Aon chabhair gur féidir linn a thabhairt, go mórmhór do the coistí contae, tá siúl agam go ndéanfaidh an tAire amhlaidh.

I join Senator McGowan in welcoming the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation this evening and I also join him in striking a blow for the shamrock. No doubt, in the same way, the Minister will put down a marker for Ireland in the field of tourism because he appreciates the great potential which exists for this industry.

Senators are aware that tourism is one of the foremost growth industries. It has one great advantage from a public representative's point of view, it is a decentralised industry which impacts on even the most remote parts of Ireland. I am not suggesting that Cashel is remote by any means but coming from the home of the Rock of Cashel, one of the foremost monuments in Europe which attracts almost 200,000 visitors each year, I can feel the winds of tourism and hear the aspirations which were enunciated down the years by those in the industry. That is one of the reasons I am particularly pleased at the sentiments in the motion.

When the county tourism committees were established some years ago they were received with great enthusiasm for two reasons. First, a great effort was made in the structure of the committees to ensure that the different players in the industry on a nominated basis had an opportunity to bring their expertise and skills to bear on legislation and policy. Second, because they are decentralised, they are in the best position to monitor the trends in tourism and take corrective action whenever necessary. Above all, they are able to harness the voluntary and professional community skills which are related to tourism.

I want the Minister to review the workings, effectiveness, role and financing of the county tourism committees on some occasion. I am aware that it is possible for them to seek financing, particularly under the heading of marketing, from Leader, the county enterprise boards, etc., but, because of the importance of these committees, it is important that they would have a budget of their own. If each county committee was to receive a grant of even £25,000 per year, no doubt it would show an admirable dividend by the manner in which it would be used. There is always the danger in boom times, particularly where tourism is concerned, to take continued growth for granted. In the past we have seen how the reverberations from other aspects of life hit the tourism industry and that is why we must be prepared.

We have one of the friendliest markets at our disposal because of the number of people of Irish extraction there are throughout the world. In the US and Canada there are in excess of 40 million people of Irish extraction and there are tens of millions in Britain, Australia, etc. Many of these people are potential customers and they should not be ignored. When I travel abroad I often feel that, although these people may not be ignored in a blatant sense, we do not use the positive contribution which they can make by way of finance, influence and contacts. If structures are being considered at some future date, the Minister might consider using these contacts on a committee basis in the countries to which I referred to ensure that we derive the maximum potential from what they are able to deliver.

It is also important to remember that Ireland is successful in the tourism industry because of what we are, and we must always be careful and protective, although not overly protective, of the elements which make Ireland attractive to visitors. The Irish people are one of our main attractions.

Six points emerged from one of the last major surveys on tourism which indicated the favoured pursuits of tourists visiting Ireland. Of these, visits to national monuments were most popular followed by genealogy and traditional entertainment. It is a pity that the nationwide scheme — Seisiún — for traditional entertainment, which was originally financed by Bord Fáilte, was terminated through lack of funding. Will the Minister consider reintroducing that scheme? I compliment Bord Fáilte for the work it carried out in the past. It helped the country get up off its knees in terms of presenting itself to the rest of the world. This was often achieved on a limited budget.

Bord Fáilte still has an important role to play but it behoves us to examine and review structures. Things can change radically during a five or six year period. For this reason I focus again on the main thrust of the motion, namely, the county tourism committees. I have no doubt that the Minister, who has an admirable record in his constituency, appreciates the necessity to help, support, reward and encourage community effort, because at the end of the day that is the best investment.

Mr. Cregan

I welcome the Minister and wish him well during his tenure at the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation.

We must take this opportunity to consider what tourism, our second largest industry, means to us. Given that the greatest number of jobs have been created in the service industry in recent years, I cannot imagine that the former Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Deputy Richard Bruton, stated that jobs are not being created in tourism. It is obvious that tourism is very important to Ireland. The Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation is keen to see it opened up and developed.

Senator McGowan referred to national symbols. The harp is the symbol of this House and the country in general, followed by the shamrock. There is no reason to move away from these symbols. I do not understand why anyone would wish to do so. For example, if I am at an airport in a foreign country it warms the cockles of my heart to see the shamrock displayed on incoming Aer Lingus flights. I am very proud of that symbol. Having said that, do we provide adequate promotion for our symbols? Countries in northern Europe are always keen to promote the achievements of their citizens. For example, many international golfers wear their national symbols on their clothing but Irish competitors do not seem to do so. Providing such symbols at a small cost would promote the country internationally.

We have a number of brilliant people competing in sport at international level, such as Michelle Smith. We must remember the effect the symbol worn on her swimming cap — at very little cost — had on the rest of the world. The same could be done for our competitors in international golf, rugby, soccer, etc. Every opportunity should be taken to promote our symbols, particularly the shamrock, because people like to see the Irish doing well. As a people, the Irish are first to criticise their own competitors. An example of that is the way we took to Michelle Smith, who did the country proud. At the Olympic Games she won three gold medals and a bronze, a feat which I believe will not be achieved again by an Irish person.

We should promote the achievements of Michelle Smith and others such as our winning team at the World Cup of golf. The two golfers involved both come from Dublin — I am glad to state that Pádraig Harrington's father was born in County Cork — and I was thrilled by the fact that they, as Irishmen, were seen to be beating the rest of the world. However, we tend to take such things for granted. We should be promoting the symbol of the shamrock which should have appeared on the shirts of Paul McGinley and Pádraig Harrington. I see no reason that the Minister could not investigate the promotion of our national symbol by our sports competitors. The cost involved would be money well spent.

We must broaden our horizons in respect of tourism, particularly as the EU will demand that we do so in the future. I visited Galway city yesterday and I could not believe the improvements brought about there. The authorities in that city have grasped the nettle by recognising the importance of tourism opportunities. Everyone involved in the business community in Galway to whom I spoke emphasised that point. The authorities in the city see to it that particular areas are not upgraded but downgraded to ensure they retain their character. As a result, there are some beautiful streets in Galway and in towns such as Kinsale, Killarney, etc.

I question whether we are doing the right thing in respect of the business being attracted to Dublin. Is there a danger that too much air traffic is being attracted to the east coast? We must ensure that other areas do not lose out because the majority of tourists fly into Dublin. That city seems to be doing exceptionally well and I wish it the best of luck. From Thursday until Sunday, Dublin is very busy with the numbers of people visiting from abroad. Can this be done in other areas such as Kinsale in County Cork?

People want to visit Ireland while Irish people want to remain here. We should not forget the home tourist market, particularly in light of the numbers of people flying abroad for their holidays from Cork, Shannon and Dublin throughout the year. Why can we not encourage more people to take holidays at home? What would be the costs involved? In that regard, Senator McGowan stated that it cost him £95 for a night's bed and breakfast in a hotel, which is very questionable. Are our services being adequately upgraded and are we providing proper facilities? We must consider the towns which have been successful in this area. For example, Killarney is an eye-opener. Anyone with an ounce of motivation is involved in business in Killarney as are their counterparts in Kenmare and other places. We should encourage such enthusiasm.

The provision of £25,000 to local tourism committees is not much to ask. I am a member of an enterprise board in Cork city and our moneys for the coming year have already been spent. Tourism committees should be in a position to create more opportunities. Perhaps they should be given £250,000 per year. I do not know how many of these committees are in existence but the provision of such funds would be money well spent. Those committees are aware of the local initiatives, incentives and opportunities which can be created.

I am not a promoter of County Meath but let us consider the way Kells has been upgraded in recent years. The authorities in that town deserve great credit for maximising its potential. Cashel, County Tipperary, is another example, particularly the way the Rock of Cashel has been promoted. The same can be said of cities and towns in other countries. For example, consider the way the city of York in England promotes its castle. Everyone in Kilkenny deserves great credit for creating an opportunity and incentive for people to visit their town to see something different. Such opportunities exist in other places. You cannot purchase property in Westport at present because of its success, which was long overdue. We must provide towns and tourism committees with further opportunities in respect of promotion. I play golf with reasonable success and I love the game. I can see what it could mean to the country. Many tourists fly to Shannon to use particular golf courses. The Minister was at Doonbeg with Greg Norman last week; it is wonderful to have Greg Norman walking the dunes at Doonbeg and considering the site to be wonderful. If he cannot make something out of Doonbeg it will be an insult to golf and to Doonbeg. However, he will make something of it and the people who have shown the initiative on that project deserve great credit.

Shannon Development is giving £2.5 million to the development at Doonbeg. However, similar funding opportunities do not exist in other parts of the country and that annoys me. Shannon Development can give the funds because the development is in its region. Other regional authorities should be given similar opportunities.

I worked in the licensed trade for many years and it is an insult that between April and October people cannot get a drink before 12 noon and after 12 midnight on a Sunday. It is not good for business. For too long we have closed our minds with the impression that we must stop the locals getting too much to drink. We are now on top of the locals in that if they drink and drive they will suffer the consequences. I would appreciate if the Minister would consider this matter seriously. The EU will tell us that we must implement the same rules and regulations as in other countries. We give the impression that everybody wants to have a lot to drink. However, many people do not, but they cannot have a drink after hours in a restaurant, for example. The matter should be examined.

There are golden opportunities in the service industries. In many of our cities businesses are looking for full-time and part-time staff. Irish people want to invest in Ireland, to stay at home for their holidays and make use of the services available, although not at a rate of £95 per night.

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

I thank Senators for tabling this motion and allowing me the chance to speak in the House. Many points have been raised and it will be impossible to deal with them all, but I assure the House that many of them have been brought to my attention already and I have commented on them. While the points Senator Cregan and others have made may not be too popular in certain circles, they are relevant nonetheless. Such points of view should be aired in the House because it helps in tackling the problems which exist.

I compliment the county tourism committees on the role they play in the development of tourism in Ireland. Senator McGowan is right that they have been underfunded in the past. I have ideas to advance on how they should be funded. We take tourism very seriously and we have every right to do so. It has enjoyed phenomenal success over the past decade, with new records being achieved each year in visitor numbers and in the yield in overseas revenue. Tourism is now our second biggest industry and I have no doubt that it will soon become our largest industry. It supports over 108,000 jobs, or one in 12 of the workforce, and it generates £1.9 billion pounds annually. With such economic indicators it is easy to see that tourism is fast becoming a vital force in the Irish economy. The tourism industry is one of the Celtic tiger's most vivacious cubs and it must be looked after.

The benefits of a vibrant and expanding tourism sector have led to a continuing and increased emphasis on the sector as an engine for growth in successive national economic programmes. The results of this have become evident to anyone who has travelled around the country in recent years. The scale of private investment which has flowed into tourism since the late 1980s is evident in the development of Ireland's canals and waterways; in conference and leisure facilities at our hotels; in the upgrading of accommodation generally to meet and even exceed international standards; in the provision of all-weather facilities; in increased marketing and training and in the development of other new and different tourism infrastructures. I compliment those who in the successive national development plan periods from 1983 to the present have used EU Structural Funds to create an obviously successful tourism product. We will have seven million visitors by the turn of the century.

As we face the remainder of the decade the challenge to create further economic growth and employment has not been greater. The targets the Government has set for the tourism industry are ambitious, but I have no doubt that further growth in the Irish economy is achievable. Recently, I asked Bord Fáilte in London to aim for a further 10 per cent growth on top of the 10 per cent growth projected this year. Often, if we look to the past we can identify where resources should be targeted in the future, a point made by Senator McGowan.

The available Bord Fáilte estimates on tourism revenue show that over the past number of years growth rates have been achieved in all regions of Ireland which are better than international and European annual averages and this should be seen for the unqualified success story that it is. There has been growth in all regions, but it has been at a rate of 85 per cent on the east coast, 41 per cent in the west and 20 per cent in the north-west. There is unquestionably a problem which must be addressed, although there has been growth in all areas. I am conscious that the increase in tourism growth is not equitably distributed throughout all the regions and is not being experienced by all sections of the industry. I assure the House that my Department along with Bord Fáilte and the regional tourism bodies, including the county tourism committees, will try to ensure in so far as we can that the benefits of the continuing record growth in tourism are spread throughout the island.

Promoting greater regional spread and extending the tourism season are vital elements in our tourism policy and I can assure the House that they are at the top of my list of priorities. Having said that, we cannot direct tourists to areas where they do not wish to go. It is up to the industry practitioners to put in place the sound business strategies to successfully market their own facilities and areas. The evidence would suggest that those operators who apply professional marketing practices are winning market share over those who sit on their laurels.

Ongoing investment in marketing is vitally necessary to maintain the growth of tourism in the face of increased competition and that is why I have taken steps to ensure that a more intensive marketing campaign is carried out in 1998, my first full year as Minister. Earlier this month I announced that Bord Fáilte would be in a position to increase significantly its level of promotional activity in the coming year. I would caution, however, that the Celtic tiger and her cubs also have a propensity to devour unless they are catered for. For the 1998 season, Bord Fáilte will have sufficient scope within their grant-in-aid to pump up to £5 million extra in Exchequer funds into the marketplace for direct marketing activities over and above this year's spend and it has been given a directive to direct it at the regions. This will represent an increase of 50 per cent in Exchequer expenditure on direct marketing activity and I am grateful to my colleague, the Minister of Finance, for this. Because I am particularly anxious that all the regions should get the maximum benefit possible from our growing tourism performance, I asked Bord Fáilte to design and bring to me a series of additional new initiatives for its 1998 campaign targeted not only at maintaining tourism growth, but most particularly at improving that regional spread. I await its proposals which I expect to receive shortly.

Selling Ireland abroad as a holiday destination is one of the most important investments we can make for the future of our economy. To this end my colleague, the Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, in his capacity as Minister for Tourism and Trade, had the foresight to commission a review of the role of Bord Fáilte. Following the implementation of the recommendations of this review, undertaken by Arthur D. Little and Company, Consultants, the role of the board was clearly focused on marketing Ireland overseas as a tourist destination. Unquestionably, this strategy has worked in the US. Over the past three years Ireland has increased its take of US visitors by up to 71 per cent while other European countries combined have only been able to add approximately 70 per cent. Overseas marketing is working and we are getting visitors to come here but we want to achieve a more even spread. This strategy dovetails effectively with the operations of the regional tourism structures which were put in place in 1993, following a review of the co-ordination of tourism at regional level as recommended by the tourism task force and confirmed in the programme for Government.

It was also the Minister, Deputy McCreevy, who agreed with the representatives of the regional tourism authorities the existing institutional structures for Irish tourism at regional and county level. Resulting from that agreement a new structure based upon county divisions was established to replace the regional councils of the regional tourism authorities. Consequently, each county was to be represented by a county tourism committee comprising representatives of the various membership categories within each regional tourism authority, including members of voluntary groups and organisations. In this way, it could be said that they were truly representative of the industry in their specific regions. In addition, new slimmed down boards of management were established to replace the regional tourism authority management committees.

County tourism committees are actively involved in formulating plans for tourism development at local county level while the regional tourism authorities continue to have responsibility for tourism development at regional level agreed without the resources mentioned by Senator McGowan. These developments include the co-ordination of the activities of the county tourism committees, the operation of the tourist information networks and the application of certain accommodation standards. The county tourism committees are responsible for stimulating and co-ordinating projects in the tourism sector by identifying, influencing and bringing forward new products and initiatives in their operational plan and inputting into the county enterprise board action plans and the regional tourism authorities plans. I met a number of people involved in the regional county tourism boards. I agree with Senators on the accommodation situation at which I will look. I am more inclined to look at existing licensed accommodation, which has received no further funding since being set up, with a view to improving it.

There are those who say the county tourism committees can be regarded as talking shops with little real power or influence. I do not agree. The county tourism committees are in an ideal position to demonstrate a capacity for creativity and innovation by encouraging and developing product initiatives in their respective areas. These committees can operate effectively as vehicles for attracting EU funds for marketing under the various tourism programmes. In addition, the close links between each county tourism committee and its respective regional tourism authority help to ensure a consistency in developmental and promotional activity thus maximising scarce resources. If a product is successful in one area, it is often copied elsewhere. As with medicine, if one pill makes a person feel well, how good would they feel after taking ten pills? That is not the way go. We must maximise resources and devise planned activity for the regions. I have always agreed that local people know best.

The county tourism committees are working well and I have no immediate plans to change them other than to try to get them extra resources. Their future role will be considered in the context of the broader review that is taking place with the objective of better integration, effectiveness and delivery of services of a number of committees, boards, partnerships and programmes that operate at local and county level.

One of the key aims of the Department of the Environment's report "Better Local Government — A Programme for Change", published in December 1996, was to devise a framework for the better integration of the systems of local government and local development. I understand a structure was proposed to commence this process of integration at local authority level but there were some delays in getting the process under way and no further action was taken by the previous Government, a matter at which I am looking.

This month the Minister for the Environment and Local Government requested city and county authorities to submit proposals for the establishment of a number of strategic policy committees — SPCs — and of a corporate policy group — CPG — within each authority area. I suggest Members take a comprehensive look at that. In the context of my mandate for local development as well as tourism, my Department will continue to consult with the Department of the Environment and Local Government on the development of integration proposals and the future role of the county tourism committees will, inter alia, be examined in this context.

Clearly, I cannot prejudge the results of this work but I want to make it clear that I am fully aware of the significant role the county tourism committees have played, and are playing, in the successful development of tourism and I commend them in this regard.

If tourism is to continue to be a major success story — a number of Senators gave warnings with which I agree — future promotion and development will have to receive support not only from the Exchequer but in increasing amounts from all involved with the tourism industry. In the past we have been fortunate in being able to rely on our European partners to help finance our development needs through the EU Structural Funds. While I believe that the case for a substantial level of continued EU funding can be made — and the Government is committed to pursuing this aggressively in Brussels — we will have to look to ourselves much more in the future, particularly in the productive sectors of the economy such as tourism.

The Exchequer provided over £27 million this year through Bord Fáilte for the promotion and development of tourism. This is a generous amount by international comparisons. The European countries with which we compete draw on large contributions from the tourism industry. It is only fair that the direct beneficiaries of the Irish tourism boom make a meaningful contribution to future development needs. This concerns not only hotels and providers of accommodation but also retailers, publicans, gift manufacturers and food and drink companies. Many people in different professions and businesses believe they are not benefiting from tourism. As EU funds diminish in future, it is my job to ensure they realise that the economy is benefiting from tourism. This applies across the board, especially in the product development, marketing and training areas.

I agree with Senators in the points they made, especially that if this boom is to continue, we must protect the Celtic tiger and its cubs. I am disappointed that in certain areas of the country we may be cutting our throats on this matter, as pointed out by Senators McGowan and Cregan. I recently paid £4 for a cup of coffee in Dublin; that is an example of the issues which must be examined. The Irish welcome is coming under intense pressure. Once success is achieved in the tourism industry, there is an inclination to become complacent. Those who visit this country want to avail of what we have to offer: the landscape, the wonderful scenery, the golf and other sporting facilities and, above all, the welcome of the people. The céad míle fáilte is not what it was and, unless we realise that, we are making a sorry mistake. The Irish welcome belongs to us all and is something to which we must pay attention.

Bord Fáilte is engaged in discussions with the tourism industry to ensure Government funding is matched by funding from the tourism industry for international marketing programmes. In France, for example, seven francs per night is paid by each beneficiary towards the marketing of the tourism industry. County tourism committees should continue to try to convince local businesses they are benefiting from tourism so that they will invest in the future and provide the necessary resources to make this aspiration a reality. I compliment two committees, Donegal and Galway, on their initiatives. Donegal raised £920,000 from the private sector, and Galway asked industry to invest £1 million. Both realise the potential they have on their doorsteps. That so much has already been achieved is a tribute to the efforts and the commitment of those who operate within the industry. I have no doubt the regional tourism bodies will continue to play a positive role in contributing to the achievement of the Government's objective for the future development of the sector.

I stated recently that the image of the Temple Bar area is not what was intended when the project was first devised. We must examine such areas which were heavily invested in. We should be proud of them but we cannot afford to cut our throats on the matter.

We have wonderful sportsmen. I am delighted to have the sports portfolio because, for example, I was able to host a reception this evening for Pádraig Harrington and my Donegal colleague, Paul McGinley, who brought the World Cup in golf back to Ireland after 39 years. All Senators will join with me in congratulating them on that.

I thank Senators for giving me the opportunity to speak on this issue. One can only learn by listening, something I have been taught to do best as a doctor. I hope to be able to do this for all my colleagues on both sides of the House.

Mr. Costello

I wish to be associated with the Minister's congratulations to Pádraig Harrington and Paul McGinley on bringing the World Cup in golf back to Ireland. They have been wonderful ambassadors for the country. Golf is one of the fastest growing areas of tourism here and Ireland is regarded as one of the Meccas of golfing. It is an area of enormous benefit and some 250,000 tourists come here to play golf.

I was horrified to hear the Minister paid £4 for a cup of coffee. It is outrageous that any establishment would charge that amount. It would be a tremendous turnoff for any visitors to be charged in that fashion. The message should be sent out loudly and clearly that we must be careful not to kill the golden goose. We must not get too greedy and charge exorbitant prices because the end result will be to earn an international reputation as a nice but very expensive place to visit. It would be a terrible shame if that were to happen.

There is a considerable discrepancy in the prices charged by hotels in the vicinity of Leinster House. The Earl of Kildare Hotel and Buswells Hotel charge between £50 and £60 per night, the Mont Clare Hotel charges £150 per night and the Davenport Hotel charges a colossal £200 per night. That is in proportion to the £4 the Minister was charged for his coffee. If hotels so close to each other charge such widely varying prices, we should make it clear it should not be happening and that it does no good for our reputation or for the tourism industry.

I am glad the Exchequer contributed £27 million last year to the industry, but it has not been a major contributor itself. I like the Minister's idea that each establishment which gains from tourism makes a contribution. It would be a worthwhile initiative. To this end a surcharge is made on local authority service charges and commercial rates for bed and breakfast establishments in Galway. I do not know if that is the way to go but there should be some contribution from the industry.

While the county tourism committees deal with the tourism industry in the rest of the country, Dublin Tourism deals with it in Dublin. The industry is expanding rapidly in the city and the proof of that is in the 40 or more hotels under construction, a 50 per cent increase on the existing number. In the past the main tourism information centre was located in O'Connell Street and it is where one went when one came to Dublin to find out everything one needed to know. I am sure the Leader will be interested in these remarks as he is involved in the tourism industry on the north side. Dublin Tourism moved from its Dún Laoghaire office and found a city centre location in Suffolk Street. However, this is on the south side and is off the beaten track. It then closed its offices in Dún Laoghaire and O'Connell Street.

The majority of people coming to Ireland enter via the north side of the city. Dublin Airport, Connolly station and Busáras are all on the north side. There are huge numbers of bed and breakfast hostels on the north side around Talbot Street, Gardiner Street and Parnell Square. Senator Cassidy is providing some top class hotels in this vicinity. However, there is no tourist information office nearby. One must travel to the south side to find tourist accommodation or sightseeing destinations throughout the country. This is a disgrace.

We are always talking about getting the right development balance. The north side of the city is being run down. Dublin Tourism has deliberately, and unfairly, downgraded the north side, despite its promise that there would be a central office in O'Connell Street. It never fulfilled that promise and there is an imbalance in the development of the tourism industry. The Minister should raise this matter with Frank Magee, Chief Executive of Dublin Tourism. The business sector on the north side is tired of bringing this matter to his attention and getting no proper response. I would be delighted if the Minister would assist in this matter. Otherwise, I cannot see us making much headway.

The Minister referred to Temple Bar, which has been developing in a disproportionate manner. There is a danger that this area will fast turn into a ghetto if it continues on its present course. It is the area for stag parties and where tourists do their drinking. Many tourists come to Dublin solely to drink. The area is now being identified with these activities and it is only time before it turns into a seedy tourist ghetto to which real tourists will not be attracted.

I wish to raise the concern among the FAI and League of Ireland clubs about the proposals to relocate Wimbledon FC to Dublin. I regularly attend Bohemians and St. Patrick's Athletic and they believe this will decimate the League of Ireland clubs. There will be unfair competition and Irish clubs will have no opportunity to access this market. The project is being promoted as a venture capital scheme. It is tied up with Sky Sports, and Mr. Murdoch wishes this to be one of the jewels in his crown in that he will have a club in Ireland for which he could sell the rights to the games. I am sure that there are some benefits to this idea; however, League of Ireland games would become second rate viewing if there was a spectacular game every second week in the city.

Mr. Moylan

I wish to share my time with the Leader and Senator Glynn.

Acting Chairman (Mr. Farrell)

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Mr. Moylan

I wish to speak about the promotion of tourism at county level. It is time we provided funding for the county tourism committees. Not long ago we debated a tourism plan in County Offaly. We had 14 different organisations involved in tourism promotion in the county. One good tourism committee could do much of the work currently being duplicated by these organisations. The Midlands and County Offaly have much to offer — Clonmacnoise, Slieve Bloom, Birr Castle and so on. However, in conjunction with tourism development, we also need to develop the infrastructure, such as roads. A number of Departments are involved in these matters and the quality of services provided leaves much to be desired.

The Minister was correct in stating the need to increase the number of English tourists coming to Ireland by 10 per cent. It is disheartening to see so many Irish people flying to foreign destinations. If we promoted our own tourist attractions, many of these people would stay at home and spend their money in Ireland. The Minister is well known to the hotel trade. It saddens one to think that he was charged £4 for a cup of coffee in a hotel Dublin. One wonders what an ordinary punter would be charged. I assure the Minister that he would not be charged so much in the Midlands, Cork or Kerry.

I am proud to be a pioneer and I do not pretend to speak for publicans. However, something must be done about bar extensions. Tourists on the Shannon must vacate pubs at closing time. They can go to a night-club which has a bar extension and remain drinking until the small hours of the morning. If one is going to grant extensions to night-clubs then this measure must be implemented across the board. This may not be the position in the Minister's mind. However, if he does not allow longer opening hours to publicans, he should curtail bar extensions in night-clubs.

The Minister is committed to tourism. He has the interests of the industry at heart and I hope that he will do all in his power to increase the tourist numbers. It is a point he should examine, particularly in areas where there are not huge numbers of tourists and where we hope to develop; I am thinking of areas such as Tullamore. People are undertaking large expenditure in the hotel business and perhaps the Minister will be in a position in the future to help them financially to look after the interests of the many tourists we hope will come to the region.

I wish the Minister well and hope that as elected Members of Seanad Éireann we can work with him to promote tourism in this country.

Mr. Cassidy

I congratulate the Minister and look forward to many visits from him and thank him for coming here to take this very serious motion.

I concur with the previous speakers' comments that Bord Fáilte does not have a tourist office in Dublin. This is a disgrace and is a reflection on the Department. We look forward to the action the Minister will take now that we have made him aware of this.

There were 4,000 people visiting this office every day from April until the end of September. I know from experience that there is a downturn of business in the north inner city of up to 30 per cent. There are very few museums or all-weather places of family entertainment which are vital to any capital city in this area. It is a disgrace that this was allowed to happen. To compound this, Dublin Corporation are giving £200,000 per year to Dublin Tourism to bring the tourists down the quays to a big signpost on O'Connell Bridge "Turn right and move south side". The Taoiseach's constituency is on the north side of the city and I am sure he is not pleased with this. The Minister has been given one of the top three senior portfolios in the new Cabinet and we look forward to him delivering to all sides of the city of Dublin. The north inner city of Dublin has seen nothing of the Celtic tiger. It is time Dublin Tourism, Bord Fáilte and the Government woke up to what is happening there. There are a few private individuals trying to uplift the north inner city but they are not getting one penny by way of help to employ people or regenerate the area. Money is put into the south side where the millionaires and the billionaires live. This is not fair and it is dangerous from a security viewpoint.

Everyone who takes a portfolio is determined to do their level best and the Minister, Deputy McDaid is no different. I look forward to him taking immediate action and opening a tourist office where people coming into the city centre can get literature showing where the Garden of Remembrance and the various museums in the north inner city are located. It is a historic area and it has many tourist attractions, perhaps the best being the historic walk in the north inner city where so many decent voluntary organisations are doing their best to keep tourism alive.

North-west Meath is an area with great tourism potential. It boasts lakes, golfing facilities, fishing, walking and all the related activities. We call it the hidden Ireland: Derravaragh, Lough Lene, Tullynally Castle, the seven wonders of Fore and the village of Finane which next year will celebrate the bicentennial of Miles the Slasher but in all of this area there is not one hotel. People would invest in their own area if grants were available and 50 or 60 people could be employed — as many as any small factory. There are many other places throughout the country where something should be done to encourage investment.

The Minister stated accommodation and services are becoming very expensive. The two star hotels in Dublin city are charging around £30 per room. That is not excessive. Ryanair mid-week flights cost £19 and, staying at two star hotels, these people do well. The Minister quoted £4 for a cup of coffee. That particular hotel is top of the range and charges £8 for a bowl of soup. Ordinary people do not go there because they cannot afford it. That is for the high and mighty.

There is a danger that if we do not put money into training, Ireland of the welcomes may be lost. Why? The simple reason is that Irish people will not be serving you. The money should be given to schools and colleges to train the young Irish people. Tourism is a service industry and unless you have energy you will have little to contribute because the hours are long and the staff must have an outgoing personality. The Irish people were always known for their character.

When last week the Government donated £750 million to training in technology and industry, employers and employees applauded. The multinational companies are telling their parent companies about the great work this Government is doing. As regards providing Irish staff for the service industry, bar staff, waiting staff and chefs cannot be found. If the Minister wants Ireland of the welcomes, money should be donated to training. At presently people are coming from other countries looking for jobs and finding them in the hotel industry.

I commend the Minister for the great work he is doing in sport. It was terrific to see the golfing world cup come back to Ireland. I congratulate the Minister for welcoming the players home on behalf of the Government. We have tremendous sports people and entertainers. The Minister sees what Daniel O'Donnell does for the tourist season in Donegal. Perhaps these sports people and entertainers should be made ambassadors. They do not want any remuneration but their contributions to promoting Ireland abroad should be acknowledged by the Government and be available to promote Ireland abroad. Daniel O'Donnell will attract 12,000 people to one concert in Birmingham next April. Here is an opportunity for Bord Fáilte, Aer Lingus and An Bord Tráchtála to endorse the country and the product they are promoting.

I look forward to the Minister's stewardship of this area and I look forward to seeing him here again to discuss tourism further.

Mr. Mooney

I welcome the Minister and concur with Senator Cassidy's remarks about the public acknowledgement of the outstanding contribution made by the golfers Pádraig Harrington and Paul McGinley to the image of Ireland. Given the Minister's wide brief it is inevitable we will stray into areas beyond the motion before us but it is an opportunity to compliment him on the position he has taken on a range of issues, especially in the area of sport. I hope he will be able to resolve the seemingly unending controversy regarding the relocation of Wimbleton FC to Dublin, which is once again in the news. I do not envy the Minister his task: it would take a Solomon like judgment. However, I hope the issue will be resolved in the best interests of Irish sport.

I am pleased with virtually all the Minister has said on the motion. I wish to raise a number of issues as they affect a border county, matters which are close to the Minister's heart. It strikes me that every year at this time there is public debate about tourist numbers and the revenue generated by tourism. On the one hand Bord Fáilte gives what must be accepted as the authoritative position but the various tourist interests question this through their trade organisations, as has recently happened. The problem seems to be the lack of a proper dispersal of tourist promotion funds to parts of the country which need them, something the Minister referred to. It seems the Celtic tiger economy is not reaching all the parts we would like it to in the context of tourism.

The regional structure is almost past its sell-by date. The enhancement and encouragement of the county committee concept is excellent. The regional structures have served their purpose to a degree, but Leitrim, which was in a regional structure like many other counties, suffered a crisis of confidence because of the big brother factor. Donegal, with its highly developed tourist infrastructure relative to the region, was always seen as the main beneficiary of tourism in the northwest. The decisions taken in attracting tourist numbers to the northwest invariably and inevitably benefited Donegal simply because of its size. I could quote similar situations in Galway, Kerry and the southeast where there are smaller counties attached to larger entities. I am convinced that the creation of the tourism committees has been of major help in assisting the tourist interests in those individual counties to regain their confidence about their product. It has given them a semi-autonomy to develop the tourist products they have. My impression is that the Minister wishes to further develop this structure.

In many cases the regional structures as set up did not meet with the approval of those whom they were serving. The northwest tourism region includes practically all the border counties, including Monaghan, Cavan, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. Donegal is a separate tourist product with a particular tourist ethos which is dissimilar to that of Leitrim.

Mr. Cregan

That is correct.

Mr. Mooney

Monaghan has a different tourist ethos from Sligo. In the southwest, Cork has a totally different tourist ethos in its culture and what it offers in comparison to Kerry. This is not a criticism; it is a fact of life. However, with the county committees now freeing up the regional structure and loosening the bonds, I hope things do not go to the other extreme and encourage parochialism to the point where Cork would glare across the border at Kerry — they do it in football anyway — or Leitrim would glare across the border at Roscommon, its nearest neighbour in football terms.

I know the mid-Leitrim/north Shannon region best and there is a commonality of tourist product which incorporates County Roscommon, parts of County Cavan and County Leitrim. Perhaps the Minister on an ongoing basis would encourage county committees to identify and work together on common tourist products, despite the fact that they cross county boundaries. I am not suggesting another embryonic regional structure but that within the loose autonomy of county committees there be an acknowledgement that, for example, the best fishing river does not stop at the county boundary or that the best scenery does not end in the next townland because it happens to be in another county. I do not know how this might be achieved but the Minister is in the best position to pull the pieces together. I hope rampant parochialism which promotes one county and ignores others will not emerge. We do not want an attitude which entices people only to County Leitrim or County Cork, for example. In attracting people to a region it is hoped they will visit the various component parts of that region.

Reference was made to Temple Bar. I believe what is going on there is a national disgrace and is reflecting badly on the image of Ireland. Regarding the possibility of a premiership football team locating in Dublin, can Members imagine the amount of angst and hassle that would result in having security procedures put in place to shepherd bunches of beer swilling louts from the ferry through Dublin to Temple Bar before or after a football match? Ireland should not be prepared to pay the price for this. I do not know how the problem can be solved in Temple Bar but it is not the sort of place that was intended. The most recent documentary on Ulster Television showed the monster we have created and I wonder if there is a need for the Minister to intervene in the context of pub licences.

There seems to be a weakness in the marketing of our capital city. We all have anecdotal evidence and the most recent I have concerns American friends who asked me if I had information on Kilmainham Gaol which they wished to visit. They were staying in a four star hotel on the southside of the city which did not have any information on it. I had to telephone the Office of Public Works which said it had lots of information on Kilmainham, including a brochure. However, the brochure was not available. We should be able to market major and impressive tourist products such as Kilmainham. Is a similar problem being experienced by other tourist attractions?

I emphatically support Senator Cassidy's point that there is a need for flagship tourist products in various parts of the country and in particular for a hotel in the border regions. We do not have sufficient hotels. I am not talking about a plethora of hotels but it would be wonderful if there was a Slieve Russell Hotel in every county because it has attracted visitors not only during the tourist season but also during the shoulder and off season. It has generated so much income that it has created a buoyant economy in a part of west Cavan which badly needed it.

The Minister will be aware that under the operational programme, investment in accommodation infrastructure is down played to the point where only 20p per £1 was available for providing accommodation. This view was influenced by the enormous number of hotels centred in the identifiable tourism areas, such as Dublin, Cork, Kerry, the southeast and parts of the west, but there are large areas of the border counties with no proper hotel facilities. In County Leitrim there are only two hotels — and I hope I am not misquoted on this matter — which are worthy of the name. The northern part of the county, which the Minister recently visited for the opening of a sculpture school in Manorhamilton, is badly in need of a flagship hotel. However, there will be no investment or fairy godfather or godmother of an entrepreneur coming to an area with a low population and a relatively poor infrastructure. They will inevitably be attracted by the large urban renewal tax schemes in various parts of the country, not least in Dublin. Surely there is a case for an equivalent rural renewal tax scheme similar to the urban scheme which might encourage people to build, on a qualified basis, impressive hotels with facilities such as conference centres, golf courses and so on. County Donegal is the best example I can cite as it has magnificent hotels centred in all of the major areas such as Bundoran, Donegal town and Letterkenny. The future of rural Ireland rests with hotels of similar standard. I know that if the Minister for Finance would loosen the purse strings it might be easier to achieve this.

As a member of the National Economic and Social Forum, it came to my attention, in one of the reports which came before us in the past 12 to 18 months, that CERT does not allow apprentices to join before they are 16 years of age, yet there is a significant group of children leaving school at 15 years of age without having acquired proper talents. I do not know why CERT has not introduced a lower age limit but as its training schemes have a 100 per cent placement rate perhaps the Minister would look into this.

Mr. O'Toole

The motion refers specifically to county committees and although they are important the issue must also be viewed in a national context.

Knowing County Leitrim quite well, I fully support the points made by Senator Mooney on the lack of hotel accommodation there. There is also a lack of restaurants, even in the county town. That is a serious issue which must be examined.

On the one hand, the Government cannot cope with the amount of tax revenue coming in and, on the other, it cannot increase public spending or the number of public servants. It must find imaginative ways of giving taxation revenue back to the people without appearing to do so and the tourism industry provides a way in which to do that.

Will the Minister re-examine capital taxation allowances for investment in tourism? I would like him to change the procedure where allowances are based solely on geographical areas. That has caused huge difficulties, even in political terms. It is a terrible waste of resources to include a town such as Westport, County Mayo, in the capital taxation allowance area. Capital allowances should be granted to areas in north-west Mayo. The Government has set up a special task force to increase employment in this area but one cannot drive to this area or travel to it by train without experiencing difficulty or delays. There are no special allowances made for tourism investment in these areas. The town of Belmullet in north-west Mayo has a championship golf course and an airport runway but does not have a hotel as it is not included in the areas for capital taxation allowances unlike towns such as Enniscrone, Youghal, Kilkee, Westport and Bundoran.

I suggest that, in the two weeks prior to the budget, the Minister should consider targeting specific projects rather than particular areas. If someone in Westport or Belmullet comes up with a proper proposal which the Minister's Department feels will enhance the tourism product in the area and create employment on a year round basis, then that is how we should proceed. The Minister could restrict the scheme to large areas but we should consider the western seaboard in particular. The real difficulty lies with the infrastructure of the west coast from County Donegal to west County Cork. Perhaps the Minister for Finance would consider allowing capital allowances to apply to projects rather than areas.

There is such a lack of uniformity at county level on the approach to tourism that it would make one weep. I come from Dingle, County Kerry, which lies at the heart of the tourism industry and is a major tourist destination. However, I want to consider areas, particularly the midland counties, which are neglected. These are extraordinarily beautiful counties but they are not getting the breaks they deserve. County Roscommon, from which the Cathaoirleach hails, has the most beautiful lakes in the whole country with the exception, perhaps, of Cavan and Leitrim. The Strokestown and Douglas Hyde interpretative centres are located in County Roscommon and the Shannon river flows through it. A tourist could spend a couple of weeks in County Roscommon and find something different to do every day. Recently, the town of Boyle twinned with a town in south east England. It is a beautiful area but it is never marketed. One could not imagine someone spending the August bank holiday weekend in County Roscommon even though it is a beautiful county.

If one travels along the Shannon, one will see a complete disparity in terms of investment on both banks of the river. Longford County Council has not spent any money on the River Shannon which is its major tourist magnet. There are bridges at Tarmonbarry and Lanesboro along the river but the investment in both of those towns has taken place on the Roscommon side of the river. Longford County Council has erected seven bridges across the Royal Canal which means that people cannot travel by boat into Longford town either by the canal or the Camlin river. Neither can they travel on the ring route of the Grand Canal and Royal Canal. For a very small input, we could create a huge investment draw in that beautiful county. There is a lack of access to areas on the river such as Barna harbour, north of Athlone. There are many such beautiful and untainted places.

Someone already referred to the issue of pub licences; there is nothing as embarrassing as being in a town where there is zero tolerance of licensing laws and where people are thrown out of pubs at 11.30 p.m. when they are on their holidays.

Mr. Cregan

That is very silly.

Mr. O'Toole

It is uncivilised and displays a total lack of investment in our tourism industry. There is no case to be made for it.

In places such as east Clare and north Tipperary people have set up tourism information centres without support from the Department of Tourism. Those people deserve huge support. This issue must be looked at in the budget and all the county committees should be given a strategy to deal with the tourism resources in their area in order that they can be marketed as a county rather than one specific area, for example, people should not be going to the Downhill Hotel in Ballina, they should be going to Mayo. That is the approach we should adopt.

Mr. Glynn

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion because it is a subject on which many Members have ideas that relate to both their counties and the entire country. County tourism committees are part of the national framework for tourism development. Bord Fáilte operates at national level, there are regional tourism organisations and there are county tourism committees which have a major role in promoting tourism at county level. It follows therefore that some provision should be made for county tourism committees to carry out their duties. They now exist on shoestring budgets comprised of whatever local authorities can reasonably afford and voluntary contributions from commercial outlets.

As Cathaoirleach of Comhairle Contae na hIarmhí I have been proud to serve on the county tourism committee twice. Despite operating on a shoestring, that committee has produced 10,000 copies of a tourist trail brochure for the Fore area in north Westmeath; 10,000 copies of a tourist trail brochure for the Glassin area of south Westmeath; 10,000 copies of a golfing guide to the many fine golfing facilities in Westmeath; and 20,000 copies of a holiday guide. Those were produced without any contributions from Bord Fáilte and have been distributed to various holiday fairs and centres in Dublin, Belfast, Manchester, Birmingham and elsewhere. Imagine what could be done if such committees were appropriately funded.

I compliment the Minister on his performance to date with a demanding portfolio. In promoting county tourism committees, he should consider shaping local tourism by emphasising the local influence. Senators Moylan and O'Toole referred to infrastructure, and Senator Moylan mentioned our road network, which has a pivotal role to play. Our rail network is also vital, and many rail networks were closed despite the fact that there is nothing nicer than observing the countryside from the comfort of a train, knowing one is in safe hands.

Senator O'Toole referred to canals. The old town of Mullingar is encircled by the Royal Canal. In 1955 the last through trip down that canal was made. It started in Dublin and went through Clondara, Tarmonbarry and up the Shannon to the Grand Canal. That was a round trip of 200 miles. It was shortsighted of local authorities to culvert the Royal Canal. The cost implications were blamed, but we are counting the cost now. Imagine the attraction to overseas visitors if we could tell them we had 200 miles of waterway for a boating holiday. There are old lock houses on many stretches of the Royal Canal. My family comes from both a lock-keeping tradition, of which I am very proud, and a farming background. Farmhouse holidays have a pivotal role in the development of local tourism.

The Gaelic Athletic Association also has a role to play. We hear of weekend package holidays to soccer games. How many people in Manchester, Leicester, where I worked, Birmingham and London would like to come back to their native counties to see the county final in hurling, football or soccer? It would be wonderful if such a package holiday could be laid on. We should also think of what could be done in coarse fishing. Our county abounds in lakes and rivers and is known as the Lake County. Some work has been done in this area but much remains to be done.

The Minister referred to the Celtic tiger, but the Celtic tiger is being killed. It is becoming toothless because we are killing our image as a hospitable, welcoming people who give good value for money. There are too many instances of people who want to become millionaires overnight. Senator Cassidy referred to north Westmeath, an area in which a hotel would be welcome. When this idea was mentioned in the past, others blew it out of the water. People asked "Who would go to a rural area?" One need only look at the Slieve Russell Hotel in Ballyconnell. Many people go there although it is in a very rural part of Ireland. It is a flagship for Senator Cassidy's proposal and the Minister can turn the tide on this matter.

Far too often visitors get menus which do not reflect traditional Irish food. When I travel abroad I like to taste the local cuisine, listen to the local music and listen to the native tongue. I am delighted that we have our own teanga dúchais and our own song and dance. If Daniel O'Donnell has put the Minister's county on the map, Joe Dolan has done something similar for Mullingar.

Mr. T. Fitzgerald

I am very impressed with the Minister's commitment and energy, and that can be said for every speaker. I agree with many of the Minister's points, in particular the exorbitant price for a cup of coffee. It is a small thing but causes many complaints. We will price ourselves out of the market with such small details.

Unapproved accommodation is not a term I like, but if accommodation is not approved, people should not stay there. During the Seanad elections I stayed in both approved and unapproved bed and breakfast establishments, including one in Tuam which was a palace. The owners said they were refused registration by Bord Fáilte. It was a disgrace that this establishment had the tag of "unapproved" which made it sound illegal. I also checked unapproved establishments in my town. They were not registered with Bord Fáilte because they did not satisfy its criteria. For example, a family with a four bedroomed house and two children did not have three bedrooms available for accommodation to qualify for Bord Fáilte registration. Bord Fáilte have relaxed this rule because a number of establishments in my town which were unapproved are now registered. Bord Fáilte are to blame for much of this. The Government should give a stamp of approval to those who have accommodation available. It is up to Bord Fáilte, the RAC or the AA to then recommend establishments. The Government must have some control.

Almost 75 per cent of tourists who visit my wife's bed and breakfast establishment have vouchers which are valued at £12.50. We provide en suite accommodation for £16 per night, for which we have to ask for payment of a further £3.50. This is clearly stated on the vouchers which are distributed by over 100 organisations, including Aer Lingus and Irish Ferries. It is amazing that if these people did not get vouchers and went straight to bed and breakfast accommodation, they would have en suite accommodation for cheaper than the cost of the voucher.

I was flabbergasted to find some pay £18 for a voucher. The voucher does not state any value, but rather states that if it is presented at a Bord Fáilte approved establishment, standard accommodation will be provided. Those issuing these vouchers are making £5 to £6 profit for doing nothing other than this. They are also cutting the prices set by bed and breakfast establishments, who honour their commitment and take £12.50, as many people say they will not pay more than that. Will the Minister to investigate this voucher system? Those giving out the vouchers are making money, not those giving accommodation. I congratulate the Minister on his statement and every Member of the House who made suggestions which will enhance our tourism industry in the future.

Mr. McGowan

I join with other speakers in complimenting the Minister. It is evident he listened to this debate and we recognise and appreciate that he did not send a substitute. We know the procedure and it is good that the Minister is interested enough to come to the House. I express the appreciation of all my colleagues for his dedication to this important motion.

He focused on the development of county tourism. We should take a cue from Kerry, which was first to develop its county tourism. It has benefited tremendously as a result and Donegal and Galway are following its example. I am pleased the Minister indicated he will support county tourism because there is no better place to support and promote it. Those who do so should get maximum support.

I hope the Minister will also recognise the serious deprivation in the west which has been ignored in the creation of jobs, whether in software or other industries. The north-west of Ireland has not been included in this development. The tourism industry fits neatly into the areas which have not been developed.

One example which supports every case I make for development is the £1.2 billion expenditure on the natural gas route, which resulted in much deprivation. Not only did we not benefit from the £1.2 billion but we were put at a disadvantage. Anyone setting up an industry cannot afford to consider the north-west, as it does not have natural gas. I ask the Minister to look at this. He is on the right track and he will get 110 per cent encouragement across the board. This is not a political matter — it is one of survival. All of us represent areas which have to be given a fair opportunity to develop.

There is a problem with hotels and guesthouses who build a small extension and are then revisited and revalued. One such case was brought to my attention where the rate increase was £12,000. The money spent by visitors to the rural area of that establishment did not increase to this extent. It is important for the success of the Minister's mission that he recognises this rate demand is an unfair burden on people.

I thank the Minister for a useful discussion with valuable contributions from those on both sides of the House. The Minister took the motion seriously and we enjoyed the debate which will hopefully make a useful contribution and benefit the industry in the future.

Question put and agreed to.