Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)

I thank the Minister for his reply. I also welcome the confirmation by the Minister that the 9% VAT rate will remain until the end of 2013 as this is a positive development.

I wish to raise the issue of the Cinderella regions of the country as regards tourism promotion and the midlands is one of those areas which has fallen well short when compared to other parts of the country. I am sure the Aire Stáit's county of Tipperary has the same problem. Is it planned to reconfigure the tourism regions? For example, there is the ludicrous situation where the River Shannon is a boundary for tourism regions rather than being used as an asset or for the development of tourism with a specific focus on the river itself. Has consideration been given to encouraging international visitors to stop off even for one night in some of the less developed regions? If tourists visiting the west were to spend even one night in the midlands out of their average stay in the country of seven days, this would increase bed nights by 1.3 million annually.

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