Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister. I thank Deputy Upton for tabling the motion. I raised the issue of visas for tourists from non-Schengen Agreement countries in the Minister's first week in office. She is well aware of it and the head of Tourism Ireland, Niall Gibbons, is constantly highlighting the same barrier for tourists, for example, from Korea or China. They must obtain two visas when they travel to the State.

I refer to a proposal which will land on the Minister's desk shortly. It is not a novel idea but it is new to my region. I refer to off-road biking. There are successful off-road biking facilities in Portumna, County Galway and County Limerick and a facility is under development in the Slieve Bloom Mountains. In the past months, I have come across a vacuum in Ulster. It is not possible to build such a facility in Northern Ireland because of the rules that apply to forestry there. Off-road bikers from Belfast, Dungannon and elsewhere have contacted me by e-mail to highlight that they must travel by ferry to Fort William in Scotland to participate in the sport. I have conducted market research on this sport in conjunction with a new biking club which has been set up in County Donegal and there is an appetite in Northern Ireland for an off-road biking facility in my county. Sites have been identified on Coillte lands and, therefore, a partnership approach will have to be adopted. I have contacted a number of cross-Border funding agencies and they are champing at the bit because this idea will work.

I have received e-mails from the Acting Chairman's constituency. A new generation of people want to get involved in this sport and they are prepared to travel from counties Kerry, Wicklow and Dublin and Northern Ireland. An estimated 20,000 spectators travelled to the world championships at Fort William in Scotland. This is an excellent, high value and high end tourism product and I ask the Minister to engage with the group that has been formed in County Donegal.

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