John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senators for their comments on the Bill and for the strong support they have expressed for it. It is a tightly focused Bill which does not set out a grand strategy for Irish tourism. The forthcoming review of tourism policy will address that.

This Bill simply provides for the establiishment of a national tourism development authority which should hopefully bring a new dynamic to developments in the sector. There are many activities, strategies and orientations with which the authority would be concerned. Senators have refered to some of these, and it is not appropriate to spell them all out in legislation. These will be dealt with in the mission statement and corporate plan of the authority, which will be informed by national tourism policy. Some of them may be dealt with in regulations made by the authority and some could, if necessary, be addressed by ministerial direction.

It is vital that this legislation be progressed as a matter of urgency. Its early enactment will clearly signal the State's commitment to the new institutional arrangements. We need to ensure that we have the authority in place for the 2003 season. Were we not to do so, it is the view of those most closely involved with driving the implementation process that we could be faced with the danger of organisational drift, lack of focus and uncertainty among staff and industry interests. That would of course be detrimental to the development of the tourism industry and to the credibility of the new authority. I am sure the House shares my concern that the positive momentum which has already been generated should be maintained.