Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy knows, Tourism Ireland is an all-Ireland body. We have meetings on a regular basis. The Minister, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, and I have met Ms Arlene Foster, MP, MLA, and the Regional Development Minister, Mr. Conor Murphy, MP, MLA, on many occasions and there is very good co-operation between us. The Giants Causeway outside Derry will be included in the Wild Atlantic Way and the island of Ireland will be sold as such. One part of the island enhances the other; there is nothing wrong with marketing them in a different way. We have many landmarks on the island of Ireland. We have everything to attract visitors to come here, including culture and the rugged landscape of the Wild Atlantic Way. West, east and south Cork all have something to offer. That is why Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland are working on more and more products to encourage thousands of visitors to come to the country. I am glad to say record numbers have come to the country in the first eight months of the year and long may it continue. Over 220,000 people are employed in tourism. The jobs are to be found are in every corner of every county. They are not confined to west Mayo or west Cork but can be located in east Mayo or east Cork. We need to bring visitors io the country and have a good product for them. The discovery and viewing points are being developed. The Government invested €8 million in the project last year, off which €2 million came from Fáilte Ireland. We need more money for capital projects. We want to have the best products in the world to bring people here and create jobs.

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