Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)

While I welcome certain aspects of collaboration under the framework of the Schengen Agreement and the common travel area agreed in 1987, things have changed in the past 22 years. I wish to focus on tourism. A tourist from China or India can apply for a multiple visa costing €50 within the 25 countries zone. We are putting ourselves at a considerable disadvantage, particularly in respect of all-island tourism. We aspire to targeting the Chinese and Indian markets but we must facilitate some form of harmonisation. Will the Minister consider some mechanism to facilitate all-island tourism for those from outside the European Union?

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