Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. He is very welcome. I am delighted the Government decided to table this motion because it helps to underline the importance of tourism. One in every ten jobs in this country relates to the tourism industry. This is a vital statistic which we sometimes tend to ignore. It is important to ensure the jobs to which I refer will be retained.

I come from an area which lies in the shadow of the ancient Rock of Cashel. I am, therefore, very conscious of the importance of tourism. I am also conscious of the potential in respect of tourism's future development. According to the findings of Fáilte Ireland, neither the collapse of the Celtic tiger nor the difficulties relating to the world economy have had a major adverse effect on Ireland. It is important to dwell on this fact.

There is a lovely photograph of the Minister in Fáilte Ireland's newsletter. He looks very well in the photograph which also features the chairman and CEO of Fáilte Ireland. I refer to this photograph in respect of the Minister's presence at Meitheal, the Irish travel trade fair which took place in April and was the largest trade fair of its kind ever held here. This indicates that the future looks particularly bright. Some 275 trade buyers from 20 countries attended the fair which I have attended on many occasions. I must state this statistic is a source of great cheer for me. Of the 275 trade buyers to whom I refer, some 56 were new buyers. This shows that Ireland is still seen as an important tourism destination.

A major survey of tourist preferences in Ireland was carried out 12 years ago. It is interesting that the top preferences at the time were people, scenery, culture, history and national monuments. A recent survey carried out among 500 people provided exactly the same results. Some 50% opted for people as a preference which was followed by scenery, culture and history. What we learn from this is that there is a constancy to what is on offer here, which is to our credit. However, it reminds us that we must also take cognisance of the core strengths of this country as a tourism destination. This does not mean we should not experiment or be innovative. It is vital, however, to consider what is exclusive to Ireland. The evidence indicates that our people, scenery, culture and history are exclusive. It is that which is exclusive which attracts the discerning visitor. In the past decade Ireland has been visited by more discerning tourists rather than by people just seeking budget holiday packages.

Who is responsible for deciding the destinations within the country to which tourists travel? The answer is tour operators. If the vast majority of tourists are now staying in the Dublin region, this is as a result of decisions made by these operators. I apologise to any Dublin Senators who may be present and I am not trying to take any business away from the capital. I am just - as did Senator Kelly - speaking from experience. When Shannon Airport was running at its peak some years ago and people were coming into the Shannon region, they tended to remain there for the duration of their stay. As a result, Bunratty Castle, the Rock of Cashel and similar attractions tended to benefit. Owing to the fact that Shannon Airport is no longer the gateway it once was, the region is definitely suffering.

In the context of diversity, it is important to remember that what makes us attractive is what makes us different. Of course, Dublin is different - it is a magnificent city. However, there are so many other attractions throughout the country. As Senator Fidelma Healy Eames stated, the tourism industry is well dispersed. We are always discussing the importance of decentralisation. There are some 40 million people of Irish extraction in North America and we are informed that there are some 70 million of Irish extraction across the globe. Tens of millions have accessed the 1911 census website. The reason for their so doing is that they are of Irish extraction. I make this point to illustrate the fact that we have a head start in gaining favour with the Diaspora. However, we must also keep their needs in mind.

It was suggested last year that in 2012 the tourism industry might consider launching a replica of An Tóstal which still takes place each year in Drumshanbo and takes the form of a gathering to celebrate our culture. Perhaps the Minister might indicate whether this proposal is still on the cards.