As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I am the shareholder in CIÉ, which is a commercial State-owned body that operates within the context of legislation and the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. CIÉ Tours is a wholly owned subsidiary of CIÉ; it operates on a commercial basis and its business is as a tour operator mainly arranging international tourist tour-travel into Ireland from North America. Operational and detailed business strategy matters for CIÉ Tours - such as changes to its range of tours for the 2021 season - are, in the first instance, matters for the management and Board of the company and its parent, and are not matters in which the Minister has a specific role.
Therefore, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to CIÉ for direct response. Please contact my private office if a reply has not been received within 10 working days.