Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If managing tourism really is contemplated, explicit responsibility must be assigned in respect of developing and growing the local tourism brand, about which the Minister of State has spoken passionately and which he has implemented in his Department. Aside from the Minister of State, a tsar also is needed to work with Fáilte Ireland and to resource that body and the councils, which are being asked repeatedly for matching funding. There is only so much funding councils can give to promote tourism when there is an umbrella body, namely, Fáilte Ireland. I question the role of Fáilte Ireland in training people to work in the hospitality sector and in promoting the regional and the local. I commend those who work in that agency, many of whom I know well. While they are tremendous people, there appears to be a collective managerial buy-out about developing the local and the regional and this cannot continue.

To revert to Cork city and county councils, I invite Members to consider the marketing focus they have brought to bear with regard to west Cork and Cork city. They should consider the tremendous success of Cork City Council's Glow Christmas celebration this December, which brought people into a hive of activity. Cork held a Christmas market and people wanted to visit and to be there, to sample the atmosphere and to engage in the festivities. While unfortunately the weather was not so good, Members should note what it achieved. Moreover, they should consider what the aforementioned councils do in respect of many other initiatives and festivals in Cork city and county. I will provide the Minister of State with a simple example, namely, a website for Cork. Where do tourists who wish to visit Cork go to see, to explore and to engage online to plan their trip before coming? Fáilte Ireland has set up a group to put together the strategy for developing Cork. While it has great tourism potential, it really is time to see boots on the ground in terms of tourist numbers and it is about time that the opportunities were examined along the lines of the Grow Dublin task force. There have been years of false starts and the Minister of State might forgive some Members for being sceptical but they wish to see such an approach embraced.

I refer to Cork Airport because having a proper tourism strategy also will help efforts to continue to grow passenger numbers at that airport. I commend the airport management, which has been highly proactive and has engaged globally in its attempts to attract new passengers and new airlines, to open new routes and to generate new business. In recent months there has been a significant series of announcements and the airport management has expressed confidence and is hopeful about the growth in passengers in the next couple of years and next year in particular, arising from new destinations and new airlines. The most striking announcement was that of Norwegian Air International's plans to operate a direct Cork to Boston flight from May 2016, as well as a new Cork to New York route in 2017. This is something towards which Cork Airport has been working for many years and when it comes to pass, it will pay a huge dividend in tourism and business for the city and county of Cork and the areas beyond them in Munster. I raised the matter yesterday with An Taoiseach on the Order of Business and was delighted with his response to the effect he has raised the matter at the highest level in the United States. It is a matter for the US Secretary of Transportation. While I have not yet had the opportunity to speak to the Minister of State in this regard, I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and I believe the Minister, the Minister of State and the Taoiseach should not merely approach the ambassador, H.E. Kevin O'Malley and the US Secretary of Transportation. They also should go to the White House and speak directly there to ensure that Cork Airport gets this transatlantic link. The US-EU Open Skies policy agreement is about facilitating airports such as Cork Airport to have this type of business, which is no threat to Shannon or Dublin airports at all. Other recent announcements in respect of Cork Airport include direct flights by CityJet, which is offering regular flights to London City Airport. Moreover, for the summer of 2016 it will fly to La Rochelle and Nantes in France. Aer Lingus also has increased its capacity in 2016 in respect of Paris, Barcelona, Palma and Faro. It is a positive development that Cork Airport is beginning to achieve passenger growth and this can be augmented and increased by a proper tourism strategy.

I conclude by expressing my complete agreement with the remarks of Deputy Jim Daly - he and I may be singing from the same hymn sheet - by reiterating that furthering tourism in Cork will require Fáilte Ireland to change its cultural and attitudinal behaviour with regard to Cork and the surrounding region. There is buy-in from the councils, the Department and public representatives but what is needed is the prioritisation of Cork as a tourism destination. Cork has the urban streetscape, the shopping and retail and will have a convention centre. It has a tremendous road network and rail line, hospitality, food, scenery and the céad míle fáilte of its people. What is needed is for the authority, that is, Fáilte Ireland, finally to come on board and agree to deliver together with the people in Cork. I am confident that with the leadership of the Minister of State, this will be delivered. This represents a wonderful opportunity for Cork and is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the next 20 years to project and promote Cork in Ireland, across Europe and the world in order that it can be a gateway for Ireland. This opportunity should be used and that strategy should be developed.

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