Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

That development was not of our own making. It was the Irish welcome and perhaps the pub culture or whatever but it is now on our doorstep and we did not notice it. We now see all those cars with surf boards on them travelling back to Dublin in the middle of winter. In Dublin Airport one can see people flying in from the United States to surf in Ireland. That must be recognised and welcomed, and it is the way forward.

Over the years we lost sight of the fundamentals of the tourism industry. We are now beginning to realise that this is the way forward and, working together, we will ensure that we can continue to have a tourism industry, and that there will be the Irish welcome once again.

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