Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)

Dublin Tourism has lobbied hard to make the Minister and Fáilte Ireland see common sense. From a regional perspective some areas perform better than others and it is necessary to take a more strategic long-term approach to them, particularly as some aspects of the tourism industry, such as walking, are in decline. We cannot afford to lose any segment of the industry to international competition.

Would implementing this report be akin to killing the goose that laid the golden egg? As Dublin Tourism points out, on a city by city basis, which is probably the most appropriate way to measure the success of tourism in Dublin, Dublin is third in Europe. Given that Dublin Tourism has indicated a willingness to integrate the executive functions more closely on a regional basis, it might be more appropriate to retain the existing format while considering ways to promote tourism in other regions. While Dublin and several areas on the western corridor are doing well, the tourism industry elsewhere is performing relatively poorly. There is plenty of scope for the Midlands to be further developed.

Is the Minister saying that because he has no direct responsibility for day-to-day matters, he is not willing to intervene if the future of tourism in Dublin is threatened as it may well be? This is more than a day-to-day matter. If the short engagement, under the chairmanship of Mr. John Travers, reaches an unsatisfactory conclusion, will the Minister make a final decision and direct Fáilte Ireland? In five or ten years' time if the figures show that tourism in Dublin has been affected by the bureaucratisation of tourism management the Minister will be associated with that damage. The Minister deserves a better legacy.

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