Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 March 2007
66 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the establishment of a tourism standing committee comprising key Departments and State agencies with a view to ensuring a co-ordinated approach to decision making and implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11693/07]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand a Tourism Council operated during the 1990s. It contained representatives of various Departments and State agencies and was chaired by the then Minister for Tourism and Trade. Despite some early progress and enthusiasm, the council had a mixed experience. As its operation was not particularly satisfactory, it eventually petered out. I understand the establishment of a similar body was considered but not recommended by the tourism policy review group in 2003.
While I fully appreciate the concerns which underpin the Deputy's question, many of the issues that impact on tourism do not come under the aegis of the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism alone. If the potential of the tourism industry is to be fully realised, key policies and decisions should reflect the needs of the sector. This was recognised as a critical issue by the tourism policy review group. Rather than recommending the establishment of a tourism strategy committee, the review group decided to focus on the development of an intensive bilateral engagement with key Departments and State agencies on priority issues.
Following publication of the review group's report in September 2003, I established a group to monitor implementation of the tourism action plan. While the implementation group contained considerable tourism expertise, it was not a cross-departmental group. During the two years of its existence, the group and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism engaged directly with a number of other Departments and State agencies on key issues which affected the tourism development agenda. The meetings of the implementation group which focused on specific issues or themes were attended by representatives of relevant Departments and State agencies, usually at the level of Secretary General or chief executive officer.
This model which has worked well is supported by the tourism sector which is actively engaged in the process. The implementation group reported that it was satisfied with the degree of progress in implementing the bulk of the recommendations contained in the action plan of the New Horizons report. In May 2006 I appointed a successor group, the tourism strategy implementation group, to advise on implementation of the outstanding recommendations of the New Horizons report. This new implementation group is continuing to meet. It will host a tourism forum in April, to which representatives of the tourism sector will be invited.
I asked this question because it was obvious that several Departments had some connection with and involvement in the development of the tourism industry. It often seems that certain Departments do not know what others are doing. I will give the Minister some examples of what I am talking about. When I was travelling on one of the new super trains recently, I was told that bicycles could not be transported on them. The efforts of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland to promote cycling as a holiday activity are being stymied by the introduction by the Department of Transport, through CIE, of new trains which cannot carry bicycles. I was in attendance when the Minister recently launched a new walks committee under the aegis of the Irish Sports Council. It seems the committee will operate independently of the walks development unit of Tourism Ireland. The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources is responsible for the development of the tourism product in coastal areas but it does not seem to engage in great contact with the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism in that regard.
Decisions being taken in the Departments I have mentioned, as well as the Departments of Finance; Education and Science; and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, impinge on the tourism product and affect the future of the tourism industry. It is obvious that there is little communication between the various Departments and the lead Department in this regard — the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism. Other countries have established bodies to co-ordinate their responses to various issues in this area. The tourism industry will increase in importance as the agriculture and fishing industries continue to decline in many rural areas. Tourism is our main hope. A number of reports I have seen have recommended a greater focus on joined-up thinking and cross-departmental co-operation, but it is obvious that such progress is not happening. I strongly recommend that we take such an approach.
When I became Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, I decided to establish the tourism policy review group to examine the tourism industry and ascertain how a greater degree of interaction between the relevant Departments and State agencies could be facilitated. The review group which operated successfully under the chairmanship of Mr. John Travers produced a report that contained over 70 recommendations. When I received that report, I established an implementation review group to monitor implementation of the review group's recommendations. The implementation review group has successfully engaged with Departments and agencies on their implementation. It has worked successfully with the Secretaries General of various Departments and the chief executives of various State agencies. I recently established a follow-on group to ensure the action plan was implemented. This group is monitoring implementation of the rest of the proposals from the review group's report.
I am satisfied that the sector benefits from a far greater degree of co-operation and co-operation than used to be the case. The current leader of the Fine Gael Party, Deputy Kenny, established the Tourism Council when he was Minister for Tourism and Trade. I am sure he would agree that the council did not work, unfortunately, and eventually petered out.
The proposed committee would be totally different.
The group I mentioned is successful and is working.
That is not the recommendation I have made.
The level of co-operation and co-ordination seen is unprecedented.
There is a lack of co-ordination.
I agree with Deputy Deenihan's proposal. When I attended a meeting of anglers in Athy yesterday, those present expressed major concern that many of the English angling clubs which used to come to their part of the country each year were no longer doing so because there was a scarcity of fish in the rivers in the south Kildare area. The two representatives of the Southern Regional Fisheries Board who attended the meeting said the board was not getting enough funding from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to provide the necessary protection, etc. A major tourist attraction in my local area is suffering because the Department is not committed to its development. It is obvious that tourists are suffering as a result. I mention this case to highlight the need for interdepartmental resolve to ensure every aspect of the tourism industry is supported. I ask the Minister to talk to his colleague, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, about the many problems being faced by those involved in the coarse fishing sector, in particular. Many international magazines are reporting that Ireland is not as attractive an angling destination, especially for those interested in coarse fishing, as it used to be. Such factors are having a detrimental effect on the progress being made with this part of the tourism industry.
I have established a group to monitor implementation of the plans outlined in the New Horizons report.
It is not a statutory body.
It is obvious the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, can answer questions about the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. A number of initiatives have been undertaken in recent times with a view to increasing participation in angling tourism. I accept that there has been a reduction in the number of anglers coming to this country from overseas. A substantial number of such tourists used to come in the late 1990s, but that number halved in the following six or seven years. The Government has taken steps in recent times to examine whether that trend can be reversed. The House is aware of the measures upon which we have embarked. We will see an increase in the number of angling tourists in the future. The central and regional fisheries boards are aware of the need to replenish the rivers.
