Before considering the content of the Bill it will be useful to consider the role of the current State agencies dedicated to supporting tourism. Under the Good Friday Agreement, tourism was designated as an area of co-operation. In December 1998 the parties to the Agreement decided that a publicly owned limited company would be established jointly by Bord Fáilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, commonly known as NITB, to promote tourism to the island of Ireland. That company, Tourism Ireland Limited, was incorporated in December 2000 and since January this year has taken over responsibility for the international marketing of the island of Ireland as a tourism destination.