Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Hanafin. I believe it is the first time she has been in this Chamber since she received her new portfolio, one I am delighted to see she has. Listening to the figures she gave today, it is clear how important tourism is to us. Some of the figures surprised me. I had not realised that business tourists spent so much. I know from Fáilte Ireland that tourists spend some four hours per day either eating or drinking. One's food and drink are important and that provides an opportunity for food tourism. The fact that Irish pubs have been so successful around the world gives some reason for this.

I grew up in the tourism industry. My father ran Red Island holiday camp back in the 1940s. Five hundred guests came every week in the summer, from May to September. They came by boat, later by aeroplane and we met them with buses. It had a very big impact on a town like Skerries at the time. My father's objective was not to make as much money as possible on people's first visit but to ensure they had such a good experience they would come back again and again. That is one message I would love the Minister to instill in the tourism business in Ireland. We call it the boomerang principle, namely, getting tourists to come back repeatedly. It seems to me this is forgotten at times. There was criticism of Irish tourism in recent years. When we had the golden calf, or perhaps it was the golden hen that laid an egg, we did not avail of it to ensure we took the long term view.

This is a necessary Bill given the amount of revenue generated by conferences in Ireland. The National Convention Centre is a very striking building. Is it not impressive to look at it from outside? It will be a massive addition in helping to attract new visitors to Ireland and I am sure it will be very successful. More than 236,000 delegate days have been booked already at the NCC, including events such as the International Conference of Emergency Medicine. One of the largest events will be the International Bar Association conference which hopes to attract 4,500 legal delegates in October 2012.

I very much look forward to Dublin's hosting of the City of Science in 2012, having been on the committee that helped put it together. This is a major international event held every two years in a leading European city and Dublin won it against stiff competition. It will be a showcase for the best and most relevant European sciences which it aims to bring to the widest possible audience. Up to 8,000 international delegates and 50,000 members of the public are expected to attend and participate. Research by the Fáilte Ireland business tourism forum suggests that the total expenditure by delegates will be €14.3 million, which is expected to support more than 270 jobs in the tourism sector.

It is very interesting to consider that the average overseas conference delegate attending an event in this country last year spent almost €1,000 in addition to his or her official outlay, according to Fáilte Ireland. This figure excludes expenses for conference fees, accommodation or other items paid for by a delegate's company or other organisation. It is very big money which makes clear that business conferences and business tourism are very important.

Business tourism is vital to Dublin and Ireland as a whole. Fáilte Ireland states the average international delegate spent 6.3 days in Ireland, of which 3.6 were spent at the actual event. Almost double the amount of event time is spent elsewhere. Individuals from more distant locations naturally tended to stay a little longer but the biggest proportion of their out-of-pocket spend went on further accommodation, followed by food and drink. The overall spend is boosted by more than a quarter of delegates mixing business with leisure during their trip. The attraction of coming to Ireland provided by the National Convention Centre obviously will improve those figures. We can picture what will happen now that we have such an impressive convention centre.

I was very surprised by the point made by Deputy Charles Flanagan in the other House who estimated that an intoxicating liquor licensing Bill had been introduced almost every second year since the initial body of law had been agreed in 1635. That is the figure I have but wonder if it can possibly be correct. Perhaps it should be 1835.

I welcome and support the intention of the Minister, Deputy Ahern, shortly to bring forward the sale of alcohol Bill which will consolidate more than 70 pieces of alcohol related legislation in one Bill. I am delighted that Deputy Hanafin has the seat of Minister for Tourism, Sport and Culture and I am delighted with the Bill which will help the tourism industry. I encourage the Minister in the new task she has of urging a long-term rather than a short-term approach. I offer her congratulations.