Mr. Paul Kelly:

There are many excellent employers in our sector but there are also some who are not yet demonstrating best practice employment standards. To help improve this situation Fáilte Ireland is launching a new excellent employer programme to help all participating businesses to improve their employer practices and build their reputation as excellent employers.

Tourism is a building block for regional balance and a critical contributor to social cohesion. It is essential for creating sustainable communities and a significant generator of jobs in regional and rural Ireland. As a critical part of the national economy, only when tourism recovers can there be a full nationwide recovery.