Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

That is not a big issue. I would prefer if it were not in place and I would like to see it gone, but I will not accept that the travel tax, as has been raised by some low-cost airlines and Aer Lingus, is the cause of all their travails. It is not true. If it were true, the costs they have put on in fuel surcharges, luggage charges and God knows what else are way beyond the amount of the travel tax. We need to be more rational when we examine this and stop blaming the State for every ill out there.

There has been very substantial readjustment of the tourism budget over the past few months. For the first time ever there has been a major, co-ordinated campaign between Tourism Ireland and the individual airlines where they have put their marketing budgets together and are promoting Ireland very intensively. It seems to be working and we saw its effect in the US yesterday with the fares that have been announced. It is promoting Ireland very intensively. The information I have received is that the market has picked up dramatically in recent weeks. That is because of very intensive discounting and marketing.

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