Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. The fact that 35,000 jobs were lost last year from the tourism and food industries serves as an example of the impact on this country of 1 million fewer tourists. This downturn clearly was caused by the economic problems in the marketplace. However, to some degree it also was caused by the travel tax and the State's failure to provide proper broadband in more rural areas, which is absolutely essential for tourism and constitutes a major disadvantage for small hotels and guesthouses.

The fact that Graeme McDowell won the US Open the other day cannot be ignored. He and Pádraig Harrington are fantastic examples of what can be done for Ireland and for the portrayal of Ireland as the world's golfing mecca. We must ensure that the recent great win and these great statesmen are used to our advantage.

Some people come to Northern Ireland just to see the Giant's Causeway and Belfast. In the current peaceful situation, I urge the Minister to ensure that Border areas are properly promoted by cross-Border structures. I was in Belfast the other day and was impressed by the tremendous willingness to co-operate among Government agencies. We must make proper use of that. ICBAN, the Irish Central Border Area Network, and the east Border region are already promoting that.

I welcome the fact that Bord Fáilte is considering taking Cavan and Monaghan out of the western region, which includes Donegal and Sligo, because we never got fair play there. When the new region is set up, I hope a better effort will be made to promote tourism because we have much to offer. We have 11 first class hotels, from the Slieve Russell in Ballyconnell to the Nuremore in Carrickmacross and all in between. There is also tremendous lakeland, hills, walks and many other attractions and facilities such as Castle Leslie. I could go on. People try to make out that there are not tourist attractions in those areas but we have the hotel structures along the Border area. We can work with Northern Ireland. I urge the Minister to ensure that when she is engaged in cross-Border talks that we maximise INTERREG and other funds to build up a tourism industry of which we can be proud. I wish her well in that job.

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