Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the House for this very important discussion on tourism. The Minister has told us the successes of Irish tourism and the employment it provides. We look at everything in the context of the good figures for 2000, but there were some difficulties last year.

I welcome the additional €3 million for marketing activities which the Minister was able to secure. It is important to identify new markets when difficulties arise in tourism. The Minister used this funding to help stimulate bookings for the remainder of the summer season and the rest of the year. I hope he will be able to secure more money for marketing as it is a key area. The Irish Hotels Federation welcomed the additional funding, which should increase momentum. I hope the hotel industry will use it to best advantage and that more overseas tourists will come to Ireland.

The foot and mouth crisis in 2001 caused great difficulty. One can think of many events, such as the national ploughing championships, that suffered. Ballinasloe is famous for its annual horse fair and festival but that was cancelled last year for the first time ever. I am glad to say a very successful horse fair and festival took place this year. When one sees the effect of the cancellation of a festival on a town and its region one realises the importance of such events to tourism. The Ballinasloe fair and festival attracts people from all over Europe. It is said that Napoleon bought horses in Ballinasloe.