Dan Boyle (Green Party)

I welcome the Minister to the House and I congratulate him on his achievements in this brief in the ten months since the Cabinet was established. He has brought with him the experience of his previous briefs, which number four or five, and has achieved much in each of the respective areas, arts, sports and tourism. The statements he made today doubtless outline the need to re-examine the dangers that accompany the requirement for a proper policy in tourism, particularly because of international economic adjustment, the appreciation of the euro against the dollar and sterling, and the need to have a tourism product that represents true value for money.

The elements of a tourism policy are simple. We want to bring more people into the country and to encourage more Irish people to take their holidays within Ireland. While we were going through a period of affluence, tourism was not perhaps as successful as we might have wished. The most recent statistics, for February, admittedly not high tourist season in this country, show 70,000 more trips out of the country than came in. Because we do not have a weather-related tourist industry we should strive to have an all-year-round tourist product. We should aim to attract more people to the country and to enjoy what it has to offer at all times of the year. The challenge for the Minister is to achieve that.

The marketing of tourism on an all-island basis is welcome and we will reap rewards for it. With regard to a consumer driven marketing drive, we may need to go further in the brand identification of particular tourist establishments. In the past Bord Fáilte had its shamrock as did bed and breakfasts. There is concern and ongoing debate about value for money as it applies to various destinations and, in this country in particular, to hotels. Now that the euro will make it more expensive for people coming into the country perhaps we should initiate something similar to the old shamrock scheme whereby particular establishments are clearly identified as offering the best value for money.

There are other ways for hotels and tourist establishments to identify themselves as being consumer oriented. I took part in a conference yesterday organised by the Green Fáilte group, an organisation that gives accreditation to hotels for their environmental practice. This might be for their waste and energy management, and for offering a service to customers that highlights environmentally friendly practice at the best possible level. Under this scheme accreditation has been given to dozens of hotels across the country, mainly in the Cork area because that is where the scheme originated. It has the potential to acquire international recognition for the type of quality tourist product we can offer. It signifies that our hotels and tourist establishments are striving to achieve different standards that will appeal to a certain type of consumer. The whole idea of green tourism has gone beyond the notion of the backpacker and the €5 a day spending allowance, especially when we include what is called third age tourism, aimed at people who are retiring earlier and who want to travel. In this regard, we could offer a tourist product that we probably are not yet exploiting to the greatest possible extent.

Senator Kelly mentioned areas in the country that appear to benefit most from tourism and he noted the south west in particular. An argument can be made that even in those areas to which high numbers of tourists are attracted, within those areas dispersement does not take place. Cork, in particular, has to strive very hard to keep people within the city area. We seem to have a short hand when it comes to tourism. Tourists are encouraged to think of Blarney Castle and Killarney and are not being offered all that is on offer within particular regions. That is also true of the spine of Ireland, the midlands region. We must be more open in making those areas attractive. Cork city works particularly hard to maintain its status as a festival city. There is not a month during which there is not a dedicated festival in the city and most of them are very successful. It hosts the film, folk, choral — which is on next week — and the midsummer festivals. This is something other regions might try to emulate.

The tourist industry has had the benefit of employing many non-nationals in recent years. That has been to the advantage of the industry because the levels of helpfulness and courtesy shown by many non-nationals are raising standards in the industry that might have been somewhat neglected. Despite our reputation for being a friendly nation, in some of our tourist establishments those levels of courtesy have not always been what they should. That has improved in recent years. There are difficulties, however. Language skills must be worked upon and if the tourist industry employs more such persons it must ensure that communications skills are improved, to accompany the diligence and the courtesy. There have been some minor problems in this area. The Department and tourism agencies should address this.

As we are in a period of economic adjustment, emphasis must be placed on realising the potential of tourism as an economic constant. If it is properly supported and reaches its potential, it can help us over this period of economic adjustment in a way that reliance on the construction industry would not because it is subject to fluctuations. If we had an all-year-round tourism industry that would attract large numbers of people to the country, much of the uncertainty that exists now might disappear. We need to reach that level and are making moves to do that. The marketing of the island on an all-island basis is a move in that direction. However, even the Minister would accept that there is a journey ahead and, while realising the potential of the Irish tourism industry, I am sure he would accept it needs a great deal more effort to get to where we want it.