Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this Bill which, although technical in nature, has an important purpose. It gives us a chance to discuss the overall state of the tourism industry in addition to considering the many ideas and suggestions that have arisen in the course of this debate. Deputies have clear ideas on how the country's tourism product can be enhanced by various initiatives in their own constituencies. Hopefully, the Minister will take on board the suggestions that are being made on both sides of the House.

I acknowledge the Minister's contribution to the industry since taking office. This was seen clearly last week when the Central Statistics Office published figures showing that overseas trips to Ireland increased by 9.4% in May, June and July compared to the corresponding period last year. It is a great reflection on the steps taken by the Government, including the jobs initiative, reducing VAT and making the tourism industry leaner and more competitive. Hopefully, those figures will continue to grow and consequently employment will continue to rise in the tourism sector. It is no coincidence that those figures rose after the introduction of the jobs initiative.

For quite some time, I have been pushing for the development of winter tourism. I feel we can make great progress in that regard. From May to October, Ireland has a fantastic tourist industry but once 1 October arrives it is almost as if a tap has been turned off and the overseas visitor figures drop. There is no reason for that to happen, however. My vision is that Ireland can have a 12-month tourism industry which would sustain thousands of extra jobs annually. We have everything we need to attract visitors here for fantastic holidays. They will then tell others about their experiences, thus bringing even more tourists the following year.

In recent years, the Scottish tourism authority has made efforts to bring people there during the so-called off-season. We should not have an off-season here because, while it may sound aspirational, we could have a peak season all year round. We should be optimistic and aim for that target. Scotland focuses on the romanticism of its lakes, Edinburgh and twilight evenings with log fires in pubs and hotels. In addition, they are focused towards the couples market.

Ireland needs to place more emphasis on that internationally. We have the products but we need to sell them more. Killarney's Lough Leane, in my own constituency, is just as beautiful in February as it is in July. The wild Atlantic crashing onto Inch strand is just as beautiful in November as in May. Likewise, Kylemore Abbey in Connemara is just as lovely in March as when I visited it in August. These are the things we need to push. Instead of Irish people going to the Continent for Christmas markets, they should avail of the fantastic shopping facilities in many villages, towns and cities throughout Ireland in the run up to the festive season. Dublin and Killarney have made massive efforts in that regard, as have small towns and villages elsewhere. Caherciveen in my constituency, for example, has made a major effort this year to prepare for the Christmas shopping period. There is no reason people should not stay at home to avail of such facilities, and visitors may even come from abroad for the experience.

Once October comes we tend to see a major fall off in the number of visiting golfers yet we have a very large golf links industry. People might not be able to play two rounds of golf in the winter months, as they do in summertime, but we should be pushing our links courses internationally, as many of them remain open all year round. The success of Irish golfers abroad has made it easier for us to market Ireland as a golfing destination.

Having spoken to industry sources, however, it seems as if our Scottish neighbours are outdoing us in attracting North American golfing visitors. We should be promoting the fantastic courses we have scattered all over the country, which are all within close driving distance of each other. We should be pushing them on the international stage.

Unfortunately, Irish pubs are a dying breed but we have two choices in this respect. First, we can allow pubs to dwindle and die, thus having a cultural shift towards the purchase of alcohol in off-licences. Second, we could give pubs - particularly rural ones - a helping hand because they are part and parcel of the tourism product. They are what people come here to experience. Irish pubs are even more special in winter than in summer because they are one of the main attractions in the evenings when it is dark after 5 o'clock. We should support Irish pubs perhaps by giving tax breaks to rural publicans who sell beer on tap. When I asked the Minister for Finance if we could give publicans an incentive, for example by reducing VAT on sales in licensed premises, I discovered that unfortunately we cannot differentiate between those and off-licence sales. Kegs of beer can only be sold in pubs, however, so maybe we can give publicans an advantage by cutting VAT on beer sold from kegs. We should examine that because publicans need a break at the moment. We should also provide tax breaks to publicans who transport customers to and from pubs, including visitors who are staying locally.

I acknowledge the efforts to ensure that airlines can fly more people here, thus boosting our tourism industry. We should work hand in hand with the airlines because the nature of holiday-making has changed considerably in recent years. There is a growing trend of people logging on to see where they can get the cheapest flights, which dictates where they go on holiday as opposed to having any particular destination in mind. It is imperative that we co-operate with airlines where possible. I would like to see the €3 tax abolished, as would many tourism operators, so hopefully progress can be made in this regard.

I acknowledge the efforts that have been made to date to reinstate the public service obligation route from Kerry to Dublin, which is very important to the south west. It will be in operation from 2 November. I call on the Minister of State, along with the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, to visit County Kerry on one of those flights once the PSO is back up and running. They will be very welcome to the county, as they have been in the past. I acknowledge that the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, has visited Kerry twice as Minister of State, as has the Minister, Deputy Varadkar. They have delivered good news to the county, for example, the announcement of funding for the restoration of Killarney House. This is a very progressive decision and the people of Kerry are delighted that this outstanding building with a great history situated at the verge of the national park in the centre of Killarney town will be restored to its former glory with additional information centres, services and products available to visitors to Killarney. I applaud the vision of the Government in providing such funding. I also acknowledge and welcome the allocation of considerable funding for the downhill mountain bike trail in Glenflesk which is part of our growing outdoor activities industry.

We need to focus our efforts on attracting to Ireland key global sports events which have massive world-wide audiences. The Tour de France opening stage was held in Ireland in the mid-1990s and there is no reason we should not lobby for this to come again. I invite the Minister of State to discuss this option with his counterparts in France. My preference would be for the opening stage to begin in Killarney or in Dingle but anywhere in the country would be excellent. The Ryder Cup competition is another event we should aim to have return. These events attract huge audiences. We should also consider events such as the London Olympic Games in 2012. I welcome the changes being made to visa applications so that visitors to the UK will be able to come here also. Further down the line, the 2015 rugby world cup will be held in England and many thousands of people will visit England for the matches. It is hoped many of those will visit Ireland as a result of changes in the visa system.

The United Kingdom is making efforts to bring major sporting events to its shores and we should give every assistance. England had hoped to host the 2018 soccer world cup but the bid was not successful. In my view, the Irish Government needs to row in behind our neighbours across the water because we have benefits to gain from any opportunities availed of by them. It is to be hoped that the 2012 Olympic Games will have a positive impact on this country.

I acknowledge the efforts of the FAI for hosting the nations' cup. Attendances may not have been as high as had been hoped but it could provide a basis for future involvement with perhaps the competition expanding to include five countries, including England, as this would give the tournament a significant boost. I ask the Minister of State to raise this option with the FAI.

The white-tailed sea eagle has been introduced into County Kerry. Unfortunately, some have been poisoned but others are doing very well. Birdwatching tourism is worth millions of pounds to the local economy in the Mull area of Scotland. We should develop such a tourism sector in this country. County Kerry has developed the pursuits of angling and whale-watching and this sector could also be developed.

The Gaeltacht areas provide opportunities to learn and speak our native language and we should encourage people to consider these areas as a holiday destination in the Discover Ireland marketing programme. There is also an opportunity to develop the market by accommodating foreigners, particularly from North America, who wish to learn the Irish language. The study of the Irish language is an established source of domestic tourism.

We should not take our foot off the gas when it comes to providing basic facilities. More public toilets should be provided throughout the country and changing and showering facilities are required at beaches. We lag behind in the provision of such facilities even when it comes to parking facilities at beaches and other venues. Standards must be improved.

The film industry has been a successful sector in Ireland, and productions such as "Braveheart", "Ryan's Daughter", "Far and Away", "Saving Private Ryan" were filmed here over the years and in turn had a significant impact on tourism to the country. We need to avail of any opportunity that comes our way to showcase our country.

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