Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I take the Deputy's point. Ensuring there is proper road-sign planning and signage and developing a sophisticated app are not mutually exclusive endeavours. We need to do both. Some people like to plan their tourism route in detail, in which case an app would be very useful. Others are more opportunistic, will see a sign and decide to visit a place. We do not want people to sail past particular locations because they do not know there is a monument or heritage site of some significance on that route. If people have a spare hour or half an hour, they might decide to have a look and could well discover a gem.

I thank the Deputy for mentioning the Ireland's Ancient East initiative. It is less developed as a concept than the Wild Atlantic Way and more work needs to be done on it. It is a little higgledy-piggledy in terms of its connectivity, for instance, but I am confident that tourists will embrace it. Ireland's unique selling point is its heritage, culture and tradition which one cannot find in some sun destinations and other places with which we are competing for the holiday euro or dollar.

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