John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

The report referred to by the Deputy has just been brought to the attention of my Department, and I have now asked my officials to review it in the context of the deliberations on the possible framework for tourism product development, post 2006. It is widely acknowledged that one of the strategic challenges for Irish tourism over the next ten years, in the area of product development, lies in managing the natural and built environment in ways that maintain and enhance their attractiveness for the benefit of domestic and overseas visitors.

Tourism is a sector that is firmly rooted in the natural and built environment and in the people and culture of Ireland. One of the key tourism objectives within An Agreed Programme for Government is to encourage the sensitive development of tourist areas and environmental best practice among providers. The demand for environmentally sustainable tourism development is one of the factors that influenced the work of the tourism policy review group and, therefore, the new strategy for tourism development now being rolled out by my Department, in consultation with the tourism industry.

The September 2003 report of the tourism policy review group, New Horizons for Irish Tourism: An Agenda for Action, pointed out that there is widespread acceptance of the importance of good management and conservation practices in maintaining and enhancing the attractiveness of both the built and the natural environment. At the same time, rapid growth has resulted in other pressures on the environment, including congestion, inappropriate development in sensitive areas and waste management systems that are inconsistent with modern day standards and the green image of Ireland.

The development strategy set out in the report provides a model to address interdepartmental issues relating to tourism development, including environmental sustainability. It complements a range of official work and participation in interdepartmental committees on environment-related issues. The nature of my Department's mandate is such that there are a number of important strategic results areas where it interacts with other Departments and agencies in order to deliver on Government policy. One of the key cross-cutting issues is the pursuit of an environmental policy that accommodates the sensitive development and expansion of tourism with opportunities for the development of rural tourism and the enjoyment of natural resources for tourism, sport and recreation.

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