Dáil debates

Thursday, 22 September 2011

National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage

 

3:00 pm

Photo of Seán KennySeán Kenny (Dublin North East, Labour)

I welcome the Bill, the primary purpose of which is to allow the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to increase the level of funding to the National Tourism Development Authority - Fáilte Ireland - from €65 million to €150 million. In that context, I wish to refer to Howth Tourism, an organisation which comprises a group of businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors in Howth. The businesses to which I refer co-operate with each other to promote the town as a tourism destination for visitors from Ireland and abroad. Using its own funding, Howth Tourism has printed thousands of maps which highlight for visitors all the town has to offer. It has also developed a website and organised events and annual festivals to promote Howth as a tourism destination.

Not only does Howth Tourism want to sustain the 500 tourism related jobs that already exist in the town, it also wants to expand its efforts and activities. In that context, it is investigating the possibility of developing Howth, which has a number of very fine restaurants, as a destination for culinary tourists into the future. It is also seeking to attract tourists in search of outdoor pursuits such as hill walking. The summit of Howth Head and the peninsula on which the town is located are ideal for such pursuits. In addition, Howth Tourism is examining the possibility of developing the town as a destination for tourism related retail businesses.

I agree with Howth Tourism's belief that there is a growing marine leisure industry in this country. There is obvious evidence in this regard with the Volvo ocean race and the tall ships race both taking place in and around the coast of Ireland. I would like Howth to capitalise on the potential in this area. The Burke-McIver report into fishery harbour centres, which was published in 2009, states that there is a huge opportunity to develop marine leisure pursuits in this country and makes specific reference to Howth in that context. Howth Tourism is working closely with Fáilte Ireland in developing a tourism strategy for the town and has been selected to lead the Dublin coastal villages project. Fáilte Ireland has also been investigating the marine leisure tourism business and I understand it will issue a new report later this month which will highlight the importance of this business.

One major obstacle to the development of Howth in the ways to which I refer relates to the fact that the harbour is under the management of the marine division of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. I have learned that the harbourmaster in Howth has no tourism remit and is under no obligation to host events, activities or promotions in the harbour area. While I accept that the harbour is a working area and that this must be a primary consideration when examining the possibility of developing tourism activities, it is also the case that the working nature of the harbour impedes this development. As a result, there is a need to utilise the major attraction that is the harbour itself and also arrive at a point where tourism activities can be developed there in a way which will not interfere with the harbour's operation, with shipping, and so on.

Any increase in funding that may be available should be used to enable Fáilte Ireland to work more closely with the marine division of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in order that a tourism function might be provided at Howth Harbour in the interests of exploiting the tourism potential that exists there. The issue of tourism in Howth Harbour is an excellent example of how what is envisaged in the Bill could be of benefit in developing tourism in general. I ask the Minister of State to pursue this matter with the relevant authorities to ensure that what I have outlined can be achieved in order that we might improve the position in respect of tourism.

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