Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Is the Minister aware that the number of visitors to Ireland has fallen by approximately 700,000 since the introduction of the air travel tax? Contrary to what the Minister suggests, the information I have seen demonstrates that Ireland has moved from being one of the fastest growing destinations to now being among those worst hit by the reversal. Has the Minister had sight of the study that was carried out, admittedly by a vested interest? This analysis suggested that the impact of this tax on the tourism sector has been €500 million, compared with the hoped-for revenue of €125 million. For a country like Ireland, which seeks to trade its way out of this recession, does the Minister not agree that handicapping the tourism sector is particularly short sighted?

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