After ten successive years of uninterrupted growth up to 2000, the industry faced its first major setback in many years with the double blow of the foot and mouth crisis in the spring of 2001 and the aftermath of the tragic events of 11 September 2001 in the United States. Although there were varying fortunes within and between different sectors and regions, the hard evidence is that we coped well. This was due to a combination of resolute actions at industry and Government levels. While official CSO figures for 2001 show that the number of overseas visitors to Ireland fell by 5% in comparison with 2000, they were still at a very healthy level of six million. Total foreign revenue earnings from all overseas visits actually increased by 8% to €3.96 billion. In addition, domestic holiday business remained buoyant last year, with expenditure rising by 16% according to Bord Fáilte figures. Our performance in terms of tourism receipts was ahead of the world and European average.