Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)

The United Kingdom, France, New Zealand and Australia have departure taxes at a much higher rate than we have. We must deal with reality.

One can understand why airlines that want to offer zero-cost flights would call for the removal of the departure tax. However, those airlines that are charging €40 for personal check-in, €5 for the privilege of an on-line check-in, €5 for credit card payment and so on should look first at these charges, which are imposed directly on consumers. Claims by such airlines that the €10 departure tax impacts in any way on their business do not stand up. They must begin by examining their own charging structures.

The Government is very much aware that the tourism industry has a turnover of more than €5 billion and employs more than 200,000 people. As such, we have allocated an increased budget for tourism, even allowing for current fiscal restraints. It is a vital industry the development of which we must support. I welcome the appointment of the Minister, Deputy Mary Hanafin, to the new Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Work must be done in the area of built heritage and so on, which can attract significant tourism to Ireland. I am confident the Minister, Deputy Hanafin, will see to it that tourism will continue to grow as an indigenous business.

I congratulate the Government on the appointment of the esteemed actor, Mr. Gabriel Byrne, as cultural ambassador of this country. That will afford us greater recognition on the international stage and encourage visitors who might not otherwise have considered Ireland as a holiday destination. Last week's St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin was a fantastic spectacle. We hope the many visitors who came to Ireland for the celebrations will return home with a positive impression of what the country has to offer. In terms of Government investment in tourism, the convention centre which is expected to open next September will be a massive boost for tourism revenue potential. The spend per person for the type of visitor the facility will attract is way above that of the average tourist.

As I said, I am surprise that Deputy Mitchell has put forward a motion calling for the abolition of the airport departure tax, for which she blames falling passenger numbers. She seems to have got her facts wrong; perhaps it is the George Lee factor. I ask that she be more careful the next time she tables a motion.

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