Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Gibbons for his presentation. I remember having to go on the media quite a bit in the run-up to the opening of Titanic Belfast to defend visitor numbers because everyone told us we would not hit them. It had 1 million visitors earlier than expected. It has been a tourism success.

Does Tourism Ireland measure Airbnb stays in the same way those relating to hotels and bed-and-breakfast establishments? There is a glaring omission in the context of strengthening our tourism brand, particularly internationally. This is a bugbear of mine. I do not know whether Mr. Gibbons has an opinion on it, either personally or from a corporate perspective. The Wild Atlantic Way stops at Derry and Ireland's Ancient East stops in Louth and does not go into Downpatrick and south Armagh, with the Cú Chulainn aspect. It makes practical sense to join the two and bring the Wild Atlantic Way across to include the north Antrim coast and the Giant's Causeway.

I would like Mr. Gibbons feedback on the air links, particularly Belfast International Airport's loss of the New York route and the impact this has had. Is work being done in the context of targeting North America? There are some additional flights to North America, not via Belfast International Airport but via Dublin Airport. It is an ongoing job of getting people to turn the other way on the motorway when they come out of Terminal 2.

I commend Tourism Ireland on what it is doing overseas. I have been a long-time supporter and champion of what it is doing.

Ireland works best when it works together. Tourism Ireland is an exemplar in the context of what it does because we are stronger, whether in branding or delivery, when we are as one. Mr. Gibbons has made a particular investment in tourism, certainly, in places such as Belfast, in what would not be mainstream or big iconic attractions, and that has had tangible benefits on the ground. Next year we hope to open a new James Connolly interpretative centre on the Falls Road, which will be a great new tourism asset along with a series of tourism attractions beyond the big iconic places. It will get people in to the authentic tourism experience. I am sure that is the case right across the entirety of the island.