Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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28. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the decision of Fáilte Ireland to close its Dublin Airport information desk, in view of the fact that this is a facility which is widely used and is of important benefit to tourists and the tourism industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14255/17]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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This again relates to a decision by Fáilte Ireland, in this instance to shut its office at Dublin Airport a mere two years after it shut down its office in Terminal 2, meaning that we will have no tourist office in the country's biggest airport. It is becoming a bit of a trend when one considers that it also shut down its office in Newgrange and moved the staff to the city centre. Airport staff are now being told they have to move to the city centre making it a very Dublin-centred organisation. I wonder how Fáilte Ireland is achieving its objective of developing Ireland as a destination if it does not even have a location in our main airport. What are the Minister of State's thoughts in that regard?

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Daly for the question. I am aware that Fáilte Ireland plans to close its tourist information office in Terminal 2 in Dublin airport and I understand from Fáilte Ireland that this decision follows a review of the engagement levels there and nature of the queries. The management of the tourist information office network is an operational matter for the board and management of Fáilte Ireland, in line with its functions as set out in legislation, and is not something in which I have any role.  I have asked Fáilte Ireland to prepare a reply for me which I will forward directly to the Deputy.  In the meantime I am meeting the newly-appointed CEO of Fáilte Ireland next week for a scheduled meeting. This is an issue in regard to tourist information offices in general which I want to discuss with him. It is an issue close to my own heart. In my constituency a tourist information office was closed.

It reinvented itself and was redeveloped. There is a precedent for how we do things differently in regard to tourism information officers. Following my meeting with the CEO next week, I will revert to Deputy Daly directly and give her an up-to-date statement as to the rationale behind the decision and what it will mean for the employees and tourist information in Dublin Airport.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State. This is important. Some two weeks ago, 13 members of staff were summoned to a meeting in an airport hotel and told the office would be closed and all of the staff moved in June, which is the start of the summer season in an airport which, as we know from our previous discussion, needs an extra runway to accommodate the volume of passengers passing through its doors. It seems bizarre that no tourist office is to be located there.

It feeds in to a question from Deputy Naughton to which the Minister of State responded. A Dublin-centric organisation is being developed around Fáilte Ireland, which is inherently dangerous. I ask the Minister of State to put it to Fáilte Ireland that its facilities at Dublin Airport were given to it for free by the DAA. It was such a vital linchpin in smoothing the passage of passengers through the airport and made their welcome in Ireland very much céad míle fáilte that the DAA did not charge it for the facilities. It is something well worth retaining and I stress that the Minister of State needs to raise those points in the context of the holistic development of tourism on the entire island of Ireland, not just Dublin.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I wish to set Deputy Daly's mind at ease. The development of tourism in Ireland is far from Dublin-centric. Some 10 million people visited the island of Ireland last year. As the Deputy knows, Ireland's Ancient East and the Wild Atlantic Way have been phenomenal successes. Fáilte Ireland has 28 tourist information offices across the country and there is also a network of over 40 offices that operate on a volunteer basis and have a different management structure and relationship. I would contest that the system is Dublin-centric. Tourist information offices have a role to play.

I want to understand the rationale of Fáilte Ireland in terms of its proposals regarding staff and what that will meet for tourists coming in through Dublin Airport. I can categorically tell the House that there is no shortage of such people; anybody who is trying to get a room in Dublin will know that, which is excellent. I am anxious to understand the approach of Fáilte Ireland, which is why I am meeting the CEO. I also want to know how it will supplement its services in terms of technologies, such as apps that can be downloaded, in the absence of a tourism information point at Dublin Airport. I want to understand the effectiveness of the tourism information point in the first place, including the footfall and number of people who availed of the service. Once I have that information I will be able to revert to the Deputy with greater detail.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State. It is something to which we will return. It is a devastating blow for the staff involved that they have to move from north county Dublin or routes on the M50 to Dublin city centre, and it is very inconvenient.

More important is the loss of skilled workers who have a great knowledge of airport facilities, local transport networks and countrywide tourism and were located at the first point of arrival for millions of passengers every year. They should be the first port of call. They have played an exceptional role in the tourism sector. Their offices could be decorated with the thank you letters they receive. The closure will leave a huge gap at the first point of entry for tourists.

It will be interesting to hear what Fáilte Ireland says to the Minister of State. I have no doubt it involves rationalisation or restructuring. It might be worth the while of the Minister of State to meet delegations representing the workforce or DAA. I reiterate that this is a facility provided at the first point of entry for free. It is not cost Fáilte Ireland anything; it pays no rent for the facility. To lose it and relocate staff to Dublin city centre would be ludicrous. A better solution could be developed. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Since I have been appointed I have engaged with many airports across the country and have discussed the points of entry for tourists entering Ireland in terms of what they are looking for. There has been a change in the behaviour of tourists in terms of how they want to access information. In many cases, that involves tourist offices. We have to reflect on the number of people actually availing of the services.

The Deputy is correct; we also have to reflect on the skill set available within the staff of Fáilte Ireland who do a very good job across the country. It has developed a large range of products, including the Wild Atlantic Way and Dublin: A Breath of Fresh Air, in terms of marketing. My first priority is to understand the rationale for the decision. As Deputy Collins knows, a tourist office in was closed in Adare, which is in our constituency. The tourist information point was changed, and there are other examples across the country.

There may be opportunities for the DAA, which I am due to meet in the context of the development of tourism. I will raise the matter with its CEO when I meet him. At the earliest opportunity, I will give Deputy Daly a full reply on the progress I have made.