Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I look forward to seeing that tourism policy. I hope the Minister incorporates a rail network that runs through Monaghan, Cavan and Donegal. If you look at the top of Ireland on the map, we have no rail network up there. I know it is not the Minister's Department but I hope he is working with the Department of Transport to ensure that happens. It is not on at this stage.

The maximum potential across the avenue of tourism will require an accurate understanding of how the tourism sector is performing. For some time now there seems to be some confusion on that point. The Central Statistics Office, CSO, has been recording a decline in visitors this year, which some stakeholders have refuted. Any confusion should now be put to rest given the latest tourism barometer from Fáilte Ireland. It shows that 43% of all tourism businesses reported a fall in income this summer. The situation seems to be worst outside the coastal tourism trails. Will the Minister outline his response to this and his efforts to support the industry and promote jobs in the sector? Will he also speak on the rail network and whether he has discussed it with the Minister for Transport?

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