Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 May 2010
51 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport if she attended the first informal meeting of EU tourism meetings on 15 April 2010 in Madrid; her views on the issues promoted at this conference; if she will expand on her position on the Union’s role in Irish tourism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20689/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraDue to prior diary commitments, I was unable to attend the informal meeting referred to by the Deputy. I was however represented at senior official level by an Assistant Secretary from my Department. Given the informal status of the meeting, I understand that the majority of delegations were represented at official rather than political level.
The informal meeting approved the "Madrid Declaration", making a series of recommendations to the European Commission to implement a European tourism policy in the light of the coming into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, which formally provides for tourism to be an EU competence. The Declaration itself emphasises, inter alia, the important role that tourism can contribute to the strategy "Europe 2020 — a European strategy for smart sustainable and inclusive growth", the importance of enhancing the competitiveness of the tourism sector and the need to reflect tourism interests when considering other Community policies in areas such as transport, environment and rural development. The full text of the Madrid Declaration is available on the European Commission's website.
The meeting also discussed the proposed "Communication on the renewed EU Tourism Policy Framework" which the Commission is due to present to the EU Council later this year. Ireland has supported the efforts of the Commission in this regard and my Department will continue to actively be involved in the finalisation of the proposed Communication.
In terms of the Union's future role in tourism, as the Deputy will be aware, the Lisbon Treaty identifies tourism as a new area of EU competence enabling it to complement the actions of Member States with the aim of improving the competitiveness of the sector in Europe. Accordingly, it is likely there will be more "complementary and coordinating" activities in the tourism field in the next few years. In parallel with the drafting of the Commission Communication, the Commission is currently preparing a Multi-Annual Programme for Tourism in the period 2011-2013 which will allow for a more structured and coordinated approach to tourism at European level. Ireland has been supportive of these efforts to date and I look forward to seeing continued progress in this regard.
Finally, for the Deputy's information, I took part in an ad hoc video-conference to which Commission Vice-President Tajani invited EU Tourism Ministers on 28th April. I participated in the exchange of views, from a European perspective, on the effects of the volcanic ash disruption on the tourism sector, including travel agents and tour operators.
