Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I have another story about a hotel in America at which we arrived a number of years ago. I was very impressed when the man who was clipping the hedge said, "Hi, you are very welcome." We went to our room and my wife and I decided to eat in the hotel that night. I said the Americans were great, they called a person by name. We have always had a difficulty in getting people to do this. I telephoned the restaurant to book a table. I was asked, "How are you, Mr. Quinn? You are very welcome." The person concerned could see on the telephone who was ringing and said, "This is Elaine; what can I do for you?" We booked a table for two at 7.30 p.m. in the non-smoking section and I thanked her. She then asked where I was from. I told her I was from Ireland. She said she knew this and that she was from Ratoath. There were four young Irish people working there. I remember going into one of the little boutiques in the hotel. The assistant was bending down behind the counter and did not see us come in. When he saw us, he suddenly looked up and said he was very sorry, that he had not greeted us. I spoke to the four Irish youngsters of 19 and 20 years of age who had been jobs in the hotel. They told me they had received 45 minutes training. They were told to always call customers by name, always introduce themselves and never to allow a customer to come into one's shop without greeting them. These are the things they were doing in that hotel in America because they were the right things to do. The reason I tell these stories is that I believe they play a huge part. In other words, let us not look to the Government, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland to do everything. There are some things we can do ourselves.

Last year Senator Mary White complained that there were very strict restrictions in place for those over 70 years of age in car rental. I have rented cars in the United States and not experienced this. The conference I mentioned on the Order of Business that I attended yesterday was entitled, Turning Silver into Gold. It was about people with silver hair and business opportunities. One of the participants said that retired did not really want stuff - that was the word used - that they did not want more things, that what they wanted were experiences. This is the opportunity for us in Ireland to do things. We could do much in eco-tourism, protecting the environment and so on.

Let me speak about something the Government can do. Strict visa requirements for visitors from certain countries are causing major problems for the tourism industry. Mr. Gerry Mullins, chief executive of the Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland, has said that while the conditions are not new, things have changed and that newly wealthy visitors from China, India and Russia, also mentioned by Senator Mooney, are being refused entry because of a strange and stupid system. The documentation needed by a person from China applying for an Irish holiday visa includes bank statements for six months and a letter from their host in Ireland stating he or she will support the person concerned during the visit. We are supposed to welcome them. I have visited the three countries mentioned in recent years and there is a degree of wealth in them. The people concerned want new experiences and are happy to come here. Chinese tourists are very well off and travelling in their millions. This is a sector in which there will be a major increase. Why is the Government continuing with outdated visa restrictions? In a stroke, by relaxing the conditions, we could create thousands of jobs. There was story in The Irish Times about an agent in Indonesia who had said he could sell 1,000 coach tours to Ireland this year with 40 people on each if Ireland was not so difficult to get into. We need change. This is an issue about which we could do something.

Dublin will be City of Science in 2012. What a smashing opportunity this will present. The opportunities are huge and we can do a great deal. It was a great victory for Dublin which was in competition with a number of other cities.

Senator Mooney and possibly Senator Coghlan mentioned golfing holidays. Scotland is having a bigger impact than us on golfers. I accept that sterling gives it an advantage but the golf clubs with which I am familiar are not receiving anything similar to the number of visitors and green fees they did previously. Scotland is doing a huge amount of business and we could do a great deal more. Let us ensure we take the necessary steps. The steps that are being taken are in the right direction but we could do far more.