Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will carry out a review of the county tourism committees, similar to the review of the regional tourism associations, in view of the critical role local authorities play in tourism infrastructure development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41023/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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As I advised the House on several occasions this year, most recently on 26 October last, individual actions and measures relating to tourism promotion or development at regional or county level are day to day functions of the State tourism agencies. There has been a major reform of Irish tourism structures in recent years with the setting up of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. Reform of the function, role and operational aspects of sub-national structures, as recommended by the tourism policy review group in its report "New Horizons for Irish Tourism — An Agenda for Action", was the final phase of that process.

In response to the recommendation in the "New Horizons" report, Fáilte Ireland commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to review regional tourism structures. That report recommended the establishment of regional tourism development boards to ensure a greater focus on the individual needs of each region at a national level, and the subsuming of former regional tourism authority management and staff into Fáilte Ireland. The bodies known as county tourism committees were a substructure of the regional tourism authorities, RTAs. To facilitate the new regional structures and the establishment of the five new regional tourism development boards, the former regional tourism authorities passed the necessary resolutions earlier this year and the boards of directors resigned.

Following the dissolution of the RTAs, I gave my consent to the establishment by Fáilte Ireland of five regional tourism development boards — in the south-east, the south-west, the west, the midlands-east and the northwest regions — and the delegation of certain functions to each of the boards. The functions so delegated are: directing the formulation and regular review of a comprehensive tourism development strategy for its region, to cover all key aspects of tourism development including the product, enterprise support, training, marketing, infrastructure and environmental management needs of tourism in that region; drafting multi-annual work plans for its region to support the implementation of the region's development strategy for tourism; submitting multi-annual plans to Fáilte Ireland for funding and other resources and securing funding, as appropriate, from within the region; overseeing the implementation of the region's approved work plans and approving corrective action as appropriate; reporting on outcomes achieved from implementing the region's tourism development strategy and issues arising from its implementation; performing the role of advocate for tourism development in its region in accordance with national and regional policies and procedures; and working closely with other bodies in the region to support the development of tourism in the region.

I appreciate that a significant amount of energy and activity exists at county level with many tourism enterprises and the local authorities often identifying, in the first instance, with the county structure. However, I understand the experience with regard to the former county tourism committees was mixed and inconsistent. I also understand that they performed with varying degrees of effectiveness. In this regard, I expect that the regional strategies to be drawn up by the regional tourism development boards will seek to harness and build on the county dynamic within the overall regional framework.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Can the Minister clarify that he is no longer in favour of having county tourism committees? That seems to be the thrust of his reply, especially the conclusion of that reply. There is much uncertainty as regards the future of county tourism committees. Some of these operated very effectively and our county had an effective committee. Last year it put in place a map of the county, which the Minister will no doubt launch in the new year. It was a representative group, and I am sure the Minister will agree that many of the decisions that affect tourism and are put in place locally are made by local authorities. These include decisions such as signposting, roads, the provision of sanitation measures and, most importantly, the control of pollution and litter. If the Minister is dismissing the role of local authorities and the local tourism committees, it will weaken our overall product and structures.

In view of the importance of county tourism authorities, will the Minister appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers, or another consultancy, to examine the future and structures of local tourism committees in the same way in which it examined the RTAs? This could determine how the local committees could integrate with the regional tourism development authorities. Decisions will be made by the regional tourism development authorities that can be put in place at national levels, but important decisions will also have to be put in place at local level. I can see a role for the local tourism committees putting in place decisions made by the regional authority.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The articles of association of the former regional tourism authorities govern the formation of the county tourism committees. Now that the RTAs no longer exist, the former county tourism committees have also lapsed. PricewaterhouseCoopers examined the county committees and determined that the State structures to support tourism had significantly disaggregated over time and that a large number of entities were involved. There was too much duplication. The effectiveness of the county tourism committees is quite debatable. Some of them met infrequently, many of them were barely staffed and it is clear they were under-resourced and had limited access to finance. Local authorities are adequately represented on the new regional development boards. Too much duplication in tourism is a mistake. It leads to inefficiency and ineffectiveness.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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The Minister is quite clearly announcing the winding up of the county tourism committees. The Minister once served on a local authority. Local authorities have an important role to play in tourism not only in developmental work but in setting charges and rates. Unless there is a strong voice for tourism in a county like Kerry, tourism interests will not be represented. A large percentage of Kerry's revenue comes from tourism enterprises, and these will no longer be represented in decision-making in our county. I do not know who is advising the Minister on this matter, but I appeal to him to review his approach towards county tourism committees. I ask him to further review their effectiveness. I agree that they must be given a structure and a raison d'être. If I were to get an opportunity in this area I would make them part of my priority in the entire tourism network.

Western regions are currently losing out to eastern regions in terms of tourism. If we want to do something about this, the dynamic could come from the county pride and structure. These structures already exist and they influence every part of local authority areas. The most important structure in the country is the local authorities. The Minister is dismissing it as regards tourism development and that is unfortunate.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I am not announcing the death of the country tourism committees, I am merely writing the obituary. There clearly was too much duplication, overlap and overcrowding in tourism structures in the State. We need to target the resources we have in a measured and focused way. We cannot do that if there is too much disaggregation in the process. I do not believe it is a great idea.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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It depends on the role one gives them.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Local authorities still have a role in the sense they are involved in the regional tourism development authorities and they have a substantial role to play through their elected members and county managers in that respect. It is clear we have reformed the structures of the tourism industry through Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and the new Regional Tourism Development Authorities. I am confident this is the way forward.