Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman. I welcome the discussion on Programme E as it is an important section of the overall budget. It generates significant revenue for the Exchequer because tourists spend money in Ireland.

The Minister rightly identified Brexit as an area of concern. I think it is more than a concern. The vast majority of tourists to Ireland are from the United Kingdom.

In the past number of years, the reason more and more people came from the United Kingdom - this is not to diminish the good work done by Fáilte Ireland on promotional campaigns and the Wild Atlantic Way - was the favourable exchange rate. It was cheaper to holiday in Ireland than it was to holiday in parts of the United Kingdom. I have statistics that show that a significant percentage of the tourists from the United Kingdom in 2014 and 2015 were first-time tourists who came because of the favourable exchange rate. With the fall in sterling, visiting Ireland will not be as financially advantageous for UK tourists. In addition, there is political and economic instability in the United Kingdom and this will obviously lead to fewer people coming here.

Tourism Ireland has €34 million to promote 23 key markets. The priority markets are USA and the United Kingdom. Do we need to consider promoting our tourism offering in other markets to try to compensate for the obvious drop in tourist numbers from the United Kingdom? I would welcome the Minister's opinion on that.

The Wild Atlantic Way was a good initiative, and now there is Ireland's Ancient East and Dublin: A Breath of Fresh Air. Where do we stand in regard to marketing the midlands? The area between the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East is right up along the middle of Ireland. There does not seem to be a strategy, a policy or a marketing programme in terms of marketing the lakes district. There is so much to offer, including the waterways of counties Longford, Westmeath, Cavan and Fermanagh. Is there a programme in place? What happens is that when a community group or local authority is not in a particular targeted area, be it the Wild Atlantic Way or Ireland's Ancient East, they cannot avail of funding because they are not deemed to be in the priority areas. Could the Minister indicate the intention in this regard?

Five or six years ago every county had a tourist officer working in collaboration with the local authority to promote the notable places of interest that would attract tourists to that county. That has been gradually eroded. Is it the intention to re-establish the collaboration between Tourism Ireland and the local authorities and to fund a tourist officer in each local authority?