Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In response to the Chairman's question, this is one of our main funding challenges and one of our objectives is funding for what is known as business and events tourism, including for international events. That is specifically targeted at the shoulder season. We recognise there is a gap as it all tends to concentrate on the summer and we have a lot to offer. We have obviously got a climate problem in the winter but if we can concentrate on getting international events and conferences, Tourism Ireland is aiming to make that one of the pillars of its crusade in the coming marketing programme.