Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

I wish to share time with Deputy Kieran O'Donnell.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. Despite the financial straitjacket that has been placed on us by the IMF, the Government has set out a targeted support scheme for the lower paid, the unemployed and the tourism sector. Deputy Tóibín was critical of the lukewarm responses of some organisations outside the House to the jobs initiative. I remind him that the Irish Hotels Federation hailed the announcement as one of the most comprehensive policy initiatives supporting the tourism industry in the past decade. It is clear that the measures taken under this initiative - including a reduction in VAT on a variety of accommodation, catering and entertainment services, the abolition of the airport tax, the reform of visa requirements, and the halving of PRSI, along with the joint marketing initiative between Tourism Ireland, the Dublin Airport Authority and the airlines - will have a significant positive impact on inward tourism.

Anyone from any part of the world or from this country could not but agree that the Government was correct in its decision to focus resources on the tourism sector based on the high profile visits of Queen Elizabeth and President Obama, which will have a significant positive impact, in both the short and medium term, on people's perceptions of the attractiveness of Ireland and on the inward movement of people to this country. The Government's support of visitor businesses and tourism will increase job opportunities, not only on a seasonal basis but all year round. Some people are criticising the fact that jobs will be created on a seasonal basis, but it is important to recognise that there are many thousands of people, especially young people, who need work during the summer months to pay for their third level education. Many of them have not had the opportunity to do that, and seasonal work is very important to them. It is also important for those who are unemployed. Many people I know would be delighted to have an opportunity of two or three weeks' work, never mind three or four months. Any seasonal opportunity or full-time labour is to be warmly welcomed.

The economic regeneration of this country must start with tourism, and I believe it will. The major visits that have happened over the past ten days are the first step towards enhancing our tourism package. The groundwork has been done. However, it is just the beginning. Much more work needs to be done, especially in the counties I represent, Leitrim and Roscommon. There is major untapped tourism potential in both counties, which needs to be developed. We should not consider tourism purely from a west coast point of view; we should not just accept that once one leaves Dublin, the scenery on the west coast is the tourism package. There is a lot of potential in the midland and peripheral counties, and it is important they are not ignored. One significant step that could be taken is the use of the River Shannon as an asset. It is potentially a major asset for tourism in this country, but at the moment it is the dividing line between all the tourism regions, so that instead of focusing our resources on the river, we are focusing them away from it. It is about time Tourism Ireland and the development agencies woke up to this fact and used the River Shannon as an asset. We must develop the tourism potential of counties such as Leitrim and Roscommon, which have unspoilt beauty.

We should maximise the use of Ireland West Airport in Knock, which can bring tourists directly into the region, as well as developing the cross-Border aspect of tourism. We must facilitate tourists who visit Northern Ireland in coming south of the Border and those who visit Ireland in going north of the Border. The announcement made by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, about the tourism initiative has been underestimated. The single decision to introduce short-term visas allowing people to travel across the Border - something I raised in this House on numerous occasions with the previous Government - will have a significant impact in terms of bringing tourists into this jurisdiction and developing cross-Border tourism. For that reason, if for no other, Members on the opposite side should welcome the initiative. Much more needs to be done about visa issues.

We also need to address the clustering of attractions in counties and regions. The less developed counties include Leitrim, which I believe should be developed as a county of culture. It has many assets, including people that are known both nationally and internationally. There is major potential to develop heritage tourism in Roscommon, which has been overlooked by the tourist industry. My county was formerly the capital of Connacht, having been home to the kings of Connacht and the High Kings of Ireland. Among its attractions are the Napoleonic fortifications, King House and the Cistercian Abbey in Boyle and Strokestown Park House, where the Famine Museum is located. I could provide a list of many more places of interest. However, the point I wish to make is that the counties which have been less developed up to now or which have been ignored by the tourism industry have some major assets. We must assess these assets in order that we might market them. I have already outlined the position with regard to heritage tourism in County Roscommon. I am of the opinion that Roscommon should be marketed as a heritage county because doing so could make it distinctive from other parts of the country. The position is similar with regard to County Leitrim, particularly in the context of arts and culture. The latter has a significant reputation, both nationally and internationally, in this regard. County Leitrim and its attractions should be developed, enhanced and marketed properly.

Instead of ignoring counties in the midlands and those which are less well developed we should seek to use them. If we could encourage tourists who arrive in Dublin Airport and then travel on to the west to stop off on their journey and spend one night in one of these counties, it would have a dramatic impact in the context of bed nights and bed numbers and also the overall spin-off for local economies.

I wish to return to the issue of the holiday visa waiver scheme. This is an extremely positive mechanism which has been introduced by the Government. I hope the latter will also consider the position with regard to student visas. Again, there is major potential in the context of developing that sector which could possibly bring an extra €1 billion into the economy if dealt with in the proper way. It is important that the requisite checks and balances be put in place. If there is proper co-ordination between Tourism Ireland and the Departments of Justice and Equality and Education and Skills we can ensure that there will be an extremely effective and secure regime in place which will make Ireland attractive to the sector in question.

We have built up a major reputation in respect of education over a long period. We should now be in a position to pass on what we have learned. Students who want to come here to learn English or to appropriate the technological skills their counterparts in this country already possess should be able to do so. The route we must take should involve building on our assets and on what we do best. We can then, based on this, concentrate on developing our economy.

See this speech in context