Dáil debates

Thursday, 22 September 2011

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

 

3:00 pm

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

I welcome the Bill. In recent years tourism and agriculture have been largely forgotten about. There had been a strong market during the years, but, unfortunately, we experienced the so-called building boom. When people were selling houses to one another, we took our eye off the potential of the tourism industry. I welcome the Government's announcements, especially on Lough Rynn in my constituency, where funding has been granted for a rowing centre. This is part of the thinking outside the box of how to invest in local tourism ventures.

Before I became involved in politics, I was involved in an action group, the Lough Key Forest Park action group. Coillte was handed a vast park and had no mandate to make money from tourism initiatives. As a consequence, it could do nothing with the park. I brought the matter to the attention of the local authority and people in the area sought control of the park. They were afraid that, being a semi-State body, Coillte could sell it. At the time funding was available from the European Regional Development Fund which was able to grant aid any project to a figure of 80%. I approached the then local authority manager with a proposal and suggested the local authority get involved with Coillte in order that we could draw down project funding of €8 million from the European Union. The total cost would be €10 million. However, the manager declined my proposal, suggesting it presented too much of a risk. Some eight years ago a new country manager arrived and we had a sum of €2 million. We received €8 million from the European Union and now Lough Key Forest Park attracts more than 200,000 visitors per year. It has resulted in significant investment in the area but it is also a win-win for the local authority. There is a facility worth approximately €10 million which forms part of the tourism infrastructure and more could take place there.

I agree with Deputy 'Ming' Flanagan that a great deal more could be attained from investment in tourism. I thank the Government for getting rid of the travel tax. This provided an incentive and reducing the VAT rate has also brought down costs. However, there is more to be done. I travel to Germany, the United Kingdom and France where accommodation is a good deal cheaper. Previously, we lost sight of the fundamentals. One must offer value and a welcome. We have brought down costs in the past two years. However, prior to that, it was galling and embarrassing. I recall travelling to Switzerland 25 years ago. We almost could not afford to buy a drink because it was so expensive. When I returned there three years ago, the price of a pint was two thirds of the cost in Ireland which shows that we lost sight of what was happening and that we had killed the market by raising prices here.

There are many initiatives that could be taken. We should consider the position of the United Kingdom. However, we have a unique selling point, that is, the Irish welcome which we should exploit. We should consider what has taken place during the years. I am keen to see certain things happen. In this regard, the provision of walking routes and cycleways is important. The Government has provided for some investment to open cycle paths and there is talk of getting people from A to B, but in Holland it is easy to cycle 40 to 50 miles because the cycle paths and other infrastructure is in place.

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