James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I second my colleague's amendment to the Order of Business.

I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism into the House to debate the Government's regional tourism plan because revenue and occupancy rates declined for many bed and breakfast accommodation and hotel owners throughout the country in the past 12 months. A hotel owner told me she had an 84% occupancy rate in June last year and a 90% occupancy rate in the previous year, and the occupancy rate is down considerably.

There is also less business travel from the Continent. We have failed to attract major conferences from the USA. Hotels are cutting costs by relying increasingly on part-time staff, a matter which needs to be addressed. More tourists are going to central and eastern Europe and there is a significant decline in the number of tourists coming from the USA. As we speak, the entire tourism industry is struggling. We must market the regions and our country better and there is an obligation on Government to do this.

The Leader might throw light on why the Ringsend incinerator was excluded from the fast-track plan. Was it due to the intervention of Senator White or the Minister, Deputy McDowell?