Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

Are there any figures to show how much tourism will increase during the Olympic Games? Are there are any bookings?

The Olympic Games will be the biggest tourism event of 2012 and they are being held an hour from Ireland. There is huge potential for us. In Britain, they are working on the post-game legacy, introducing the country to the emerging markets in particular. For us, the potential is as great but we have this visa problem that I have been raising for the last three years. It is getting more difficult to get a visa, not easier. We have made it so complex and expensive that we will not get these visitors. The British have succeeded in doubling the number of visitors over four years. Interestingly, every year the average spend of visitors from China grows by 10%. That is not a market we can afford to ignore. If, however, a Chinese person wants to get a visa, he cannot apply on-line or in writing; the application must be brought to one of two locations in all of China. Does this make it look like we really want people from China to visit Ireland? We must do something about this because it is becoming a joke. If we do not capitalise on 2012, we may never have an opportunity like this again.

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