Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire agus ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an díospóireacht seo, díospóireacht atá thar a bheith tábhachtach. Tá cúrsaí turasóireachta iontach tábhachtach sa tír seo le go dtiocfaimid chuig a chéile.

While the skills and expertise of the Minister of State have been mentioned, the fact that he is also a singing Minister of State has not. I agree with Senator Michael Mullins because the Minister of State seems to have expertise in dealing with bridges over troubled waters. He might try to look, therefore, at the bridge in Ballinasloe as a matter of urgency.

In the current economic climate the importance of tourism cannot be overstated. As an indigenous economic sector, it is unique in that it has an impact on all areas of the economy, both rural and urban. It is a very significant employer and requires minimal import content to produce its output. The rationale for increased investment in the sector is particularly strong and to be supported. Táimid ag tacú leis an mBille seo ar an mbunús sin.

The recent performance of the industry is encouraging. However, for it to keep making a positive contribution to the economy, strategies will be necessary to make the right strategic choices in the coming period, a matter to which Senator Feargal Quinn alluded. It is essential that a measured approach is taken when deciding on priorities.

Since the 1990s when there was rapid growth, a number of indicators - the number of tourist visits and revenue generated - suggest the tourism sector has experienced a period of decline in recent years. During the period 2005-10 the number of overseas visitors and holidaymakers to Ireland peaked in 2007 at 7.7 million and then declined year on year to 5.8 million in 2010. The number of visitors from each of our three largest markets, Britain, mainland Europe and North America, has declined year on year since 2007, although the number of domestic trips actually increased in the same period.

Tourism's contribution to the broader economy in terms of GNP has remained relatively stable at between 3.7% and 4%. The industry's role in promoting balanced regional and rural development is extremely important. As mentioned, the River Shannon, the east, the midlands, the west and the north west, in particular, need to be included in an inclusive strategy to maximise their potential.

Dialogue is necessary between the Minister of State and his Government colleagues because the provision of infrastructure is key. If we do not provide infrastructure to make destinations accessible, particularly in the west, it goes without saying fewer people will travel to them. From talking to people, the recent cutbacks in the capital expenditure programme were a sore disappointment tomany involved in the tourism trade in the west. The western rail corridor and the A5 road project which are essential to make the west, the north west in particular, more accessible have been long-fingered indefinitely.

In addition, Galway Airport which serves tourist destinations in the west remains under threat of closure. Some 85 of its flights are international and the region would lose €19 million in tourist revenue if it were to close. I hope the Minister of State will put pressure on his colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar, to reinstate the OPEX grants which were available to the airport to keep it viable. The airport employs 180 people who contribute €2 million to the local economy, not to mention the value of the airport to the area generally.

Equally, in respect of the A5 road project, the Government has attempted to back out of its commitments under the St. Andrew's Agreement to provide funding for this crucial project. It is worth noting that Deputy Pearse Doherty's report, Awakening the West, states the number of overseas visitors to the area has declined by 30% since 1999. In making the north west more attractive - it is one of our gems - we must make it more competitive in terms of infrastructure.

The tourism industry continues to be a major employer, with the CSO and Fáilte Ireland estimating that those working in the tourism and hospitality sector make up somewhere between 7% and 10% of total employment. The level has decreased in the past couple of years.

The Bill is a technical one to facilitate Fáilte Ireland in continuing its business. However, it should form the basis for aresponse to the tourism product development strategy produced by Fáilte Ireland which outlines that competitor destinations in northern Europe are investing substantial sums of public money in tourism. In Norway, for example, the level of public investment in tourism has been running at €43 million annually. In Scotland the Highlands and Islands Enterprise Agency spends up to £22 million annually on tourism. This investment is in addition to the £52 million provided by way of government grant support by the Visit Scotland agency.

Visit Scotland is seeking to encourage the Scottish hospitality business to enhance its marketing campaigns. This initiative aims to address the issue of capacity utilisation in the industry and is centred on increasing the occupancy rate rather than building more hotels. Similar initiatives here would need to address the overcapacity issue, in particular outside Dublin. This opportunity should be taken to involve in a meaningful way the sector and individual communities in the development of our tourism product. Visit Scotland is seeking to encourage the hospitality industry to become involved in cross-selling to involve local businesses in promoting and developing a comprehensive tourism package. Private businesses can promote themselves on the website, appear in literature such as pamphlets and receive access to information on training and skills to enhance the tourism experience. This model should be further developed here to include the local community, including the community and voluntary sectors, as well as local businesses in a collective effort to develop and improve their tourism product.

The Department and its agencies must look at how big ticket items can provide the nucleus of an improved product. There is huge potential in every corner of the country for product development. Competitor countries are placing substantial public investment in tourism product innovation. Examples include the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Eden project near Bristol. These investments by municipalities and other public authorities provide iconic attractions which, in turn, offer compelling reasons to motivate visitors to choose a particular destination. In a similar vein, individual major events which have a significant tourism impact have also received public investment in competitor countries. The Edinburgh International Festival, for example, receives £5 million of public funds annually and plays an important role in attracting visitors. For Ireland, cultural tourism continues to hold huge potential. In this regard, we must continue to support the likes of Féile Ealáion na Gaillimhe, etc.

Ar cheist na Gaeilge, rud eile gur chóir don Rialtas a thabhairt san áireamh ná luach na Gaeilge don turasóireacht. Is léir domsa nach bhfuilimid ag baint leasa as an Ghaeilge mar acmhainn eacnamúil agus turasóireachta go dtí an leibhéal ba chóir go ndéanfadh muid. Is fiú go leor cheana féin í. Is fiú €136 milliún an bhliain an Ghaeilge do gheilleagar Contae na Gaillimhe agus b'fhiú €14 milliún iad na coláistí samhraidh don gheilleagar áitiúil i 2007, ach tá i bhfad níos mó gur féidir a dhéanamh ina leith seo.

Molann Gaillimh le Gaeilge go mbeadh cúrsa traenála Gaeilge ann a d'fhéadfai a chur ar fáil le Fáilte Ireland agus a d'fhéadfaí a chur ar fáil do ghóthaí turasóireachta agus failteachas sa Ghaeltacht. Dá leithscéal, aontaionn muintir na Gaillimhe liom go bhfuil an Ghaeilge luachmhar don ghnó agus don turasóireacht. Is dóigh le 91% de mhuintir na Gaillimhe go bhfuil an Ghaeilge "tábhachtach" nó "fíor-tabhachtach". Is é luach na Gaeltachta ná an fonn atá ar daoine dul ann agus cuairt a thabhairt chuici. Tá an luach ann go cultúrtha freisin agus caithfimid tacú le sin.