Brendan Daly (Fianna Fail)

With the end of the year and the new tourism season approaching, this is an opportune time to discuss the tourism industry and address the decline, for the first time in ten years, in the number of visitors. It is also very opportune that we have in the House the new Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue. I congratulate him on his appointment, coming as he does from the nerve centre of our tourism industry, the south Kerry and Killarney region. He, more than anyone else, will be familiar with the importance of tourism for the economy, especially in isolated areas where there are few employment opportunities in other economic sectors. As we face into a new season, it is critical that the Minister should introduce new initiatives for tourism, such as those he outlined. I wish him well in his appointment and hope the House will work closely with him in the years ahead to ensure the small decline in visitor numbers is halted and growth returns to the industry.

In the past decade or thereabouts visitor numbers have dramatically increased. The overall figure has doubled, revenue has improved substantially and employment in the tourism industry has increased considerably. However, now is the time to examine the product, access and new opportunities to find ways to advance the tourism industry in a way that impacts more critically on revenue and employment over the next five or six years. I welcome, therefore, the announcement of the establishment of Tourism Ireland, the new North-South body, and the new tourism development authority, for which legislation will be introduced later.