John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

The actual marketing spend on tourism this year, despite the budgetary constraints, will be the highest in the history of the State. The amount available for marketing Ireland will be 20% higher in 2003 than in 2002. This is an indication of the seriousness with which we are addressing the tourism question. It is imperative from our perspective that the industry which is set to become the largest in the State grows. It is important that we are out on the ground selling Ireland. It appears likely the number of gateways from the United States into Ireland in 2003 will increase by one third.

At present there are six gateway cities. Recently Aer Lingus announced it would restore the Baltimore-Washington-Ireland route and that is welcome. This evening US Airlines made an application to the US Department of Transport which will enable it to fly direct to Dublin and Shannon from Philadelphia. That we will have eight gateway cities in the United States in 2003 is a substantial improvement. Between 1 July and mid-August 2002 there was a problem in that airline capacity was down 20%. While there were empty beds in many parts of the country and Americans willing to occupy them, many could not travel due to reduced capacity. That capacity has been increased by the addition of two gateway cities in the United States in 2003 which is immensely important in terms of increasing the number of US visitors. For example, in 2001, with six gateway cities there were in the region 907,000 US visitors to Ireland whose total investment in revenue terms was in excess of €700 million. That the number of gateways has been increased means, all else being equal, we should be able to increase the number of visitors from the United States. That is conditional upon there being no international events which interfere with that but that is something we cannot foresee. If the position remains as it is I would be confident of a good increase in visitors from the United States in 2003 arising from the news from Philadelphia this evening.

Question put and agreed to.

SECTION 24.