Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)

While we are in the mutual admiration society, I include your good self, Senator Coghlan. That work was done by proving that Killarney, which is the capital of tourism, as the Acting Chairman and the Minister are well aware, does not just have a six-month season, it has a year-round season. It would beggar belief to have spent such an inordinate amount of money on the restoration of Ross Castle, which is iconic in posters dating back more than 100 years, and then for it not to be open when people come to visit it and Muckross House during St. Patrick's week. It would be a disgrace to find that its doors were closed even though we had spent millions trying to open them. That campaign carried out by the chamber of commerce, the hoteliers and the tourism industry shows, as will the other examples I will outline, how the private sector has to prove its case during the economic downturn. People must act, as they cannot expect the Government to provide everything. Showing how many days the castle was open last year and the footfall that went through it in the same period proved the case that an exception should be made of Ross Castle.

I have been part of some of the many delegations on the Cork to Swansea ferry to the Minister and the Minister for Transport to try to get Government funding. However, EU restrictions are such that were the Government to hand out large amounts of money to any company, that would bring down the wrath of the great Mr. Michael O'Leary. If the Swansea-Cork ferry was to get money from the Government, Michael O'Leary would probably want money also. EU regulations would not permit that. Therefore, we must find more imaginative ways to raise funds.

The Swansea-Cork ferry group, led by John Hosford and the captain and chairman of the Port of Cork, has come up with an innovative way of funding the project. Shareholders are being sought who will co-operate and pay €1,000 towards a part share or who will form a group and pay €10,000 for a share in order to buy a part in the new Swansea-Cork ferry, which as Deputy Buttimer said, is vital for the people of south Kerry and west Cork. It is estimated the ferry will bring €22 million annually into the Irish economy following the first option investment of €5 million. From the Government's point of view, this would be money well spent, but the restrictions imposed by the European Union with regard to Government funding of private sector organisations and industry are such that we cannot develop the ferry service in the manner we might want.

The Swansea-Cork ferry project is an example of the private sector and individuals involved in the industry coming together and not relying on Government to provide leadership. In the current economic times it is important that the private sector and individuals provide leadership themselves and prove the case. There is a sustainable economic argument to be made for the Swansea-Cork ferry in terms of viability because we currently have transporters and lorries heading all the way to Rosslare in order to travel to England. There is also environmental damage in terms of CO2 emissions as a result of the loss of the Swansea-Cork ferry over the past number of years.

I was talking to John Hosford before coming here today and he and I are hopeful the matter will be resolved in the near future. One of the upsides of the economic downturn is that ferries have become available. The group has identified one in Scandinavia that is suitable for use in Cork as it has a shallow hull and, hopefully, the receiver of the company there will conclude negotiations with the consortium that has come together to develop the Swansea-Cork ferry. It is foolhardy in the current economic times to rely on the Government alone to provide these vital links between Ireland and the United Kingdom or France. It is important people realise their futures are in their own hands. While the Government will give them whatever support it can, it is limited in what it can do because of the current financial situation and the rules imposed within the European Union.

Another project deserving support is the Centre of Contemporary Irish Culture in Kenmare, something I am sure Senator Coghlan supports. Bord Fáilte has granted €6 million towards the building of this 20,000 sq. ft. exhibition centre with seven different galleries. This is an unusual undertaking that will cost €12.5 million. The Government will provide €6 million through Bord Fáilte and it is up to the town of Kenmare and its population of 1,700 to come up with the other €6 million. This is not an amount one could get from a church gate collection or a raffle. John Brennan, from the Park Hotel in Kenmare, organised a public meeting at which he presented the argument on the vital necessity of this centre in order to take advantage of the upswing. In the past eight weeks he and the people of Kenmare have raised over €1 million in pledges for the centre. I am aware they must collect a further €5 million, but at a time when people are strapped for cash, I must commend their vision in taking on the inordinate task of raising €6 million and on having got so far so quickly.

I thank the Minister for coming to the House. As with most strategies currently, we must rely first on ourselves with regard to our tourism strategy. Where the Government can assist, it will, but people working in tourism in Kerry, Cork and all over the country have always relied first on themselves. They have proven to be world leaders as a result.