James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

I am almost finished. Our waterways are an ongoing attraction for tourists looking for water-based activities. The tourism infrastructure of the midlands is under-developed to a great extent. If the midlands area is to maximise the benefit it derives from our tourism, the Government and the private sector need to engage in forward planning and make a substantial investment. The growth of, and benefits from, tourism have not been evenly spread to rural counties outside the main honey pots of Dublin and other cities. It is time for the honey to be spread more evenly. Dublin has been established as one of the major tourism city destinations in Europe. We must target the development of tourism in neglected rural areas that have much to offer Deputies.

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