Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fund. I also welcome the Minister of State who in his earlier remarks mentioned how the fund pertained to connectivity. Given that we are an island nation, he also said it was important the projects be commercially viable. As Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, OPW, he is charged with responsibility for the management of many heritage sites. I, therefore, note his remarks to Deputy Pat Rabbitte about connectivity and also his remarks about tourism. I draw to his attention to how the region I represent, Cork, does not have a tourism strategy marrying all of the different pieces to bring together a tourism brand to promote and sell Cork city and county. In that role and in conjunction with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, I ask him to play a role in this regard. Unlike the region to which Deputy Kieran O'Donnell referred, Cork Airport is the country's second airport. It is the second busiest airport and the gateway to the south. If one reads-----