Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

-----or focusing on women in sport and what they have achieved. Now that people are living longer, we want them to lead healthy lives and to participate. I recognise the sporting successes that have been achieved at national, county and club level. Regardless of whether one is referring to national sports such as hurling or minority sports such as sailing, there is no doubt that there is major potential for people to participate. Such participation can have an impact on people and their well-being. It can also have an impact on the development of the communities in which they live.

The Taoiseach highlighted the economic aspect of tourism, which is the third part of my portfolio. I am of the view that this aspect can be developed to a much greater degree. Some 200,000 people are employed in the tourism sector, which is worth €5 billion to the economy. We face a challenge in the context of ensuring we develop tourism, which is one of the few indigenous industries in this country.

See this speech in context