Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)

As a new Senator I have been impressed by how we have got our business off the ground. People want to see the Seanad discuss important topics of the day and make a significant contribution to economic recovery. The people are crying out for hope, and tourism can be the vehicle for significant economic recovery. Never before have we had such a head start with the wonderful marketing opportunity provided by the high-profile visits of Queen Elizabeth II and the US President, Mr. Obama.

Other Members spoke of the wonderful value for money available in our hotels and restaurants, some of it the best value in Europe. The imaginative decisions made by the Government in recent weeks will help this sector with other savings. I hope restaurants and hotels will pass these on to their customers.

Festivals and events are a key element in our tourism business. The umbrella body for festivals, the Association of Irish Festival Events, AOIFE, is headquartered in Ballinasloe, County Galway. It assists in the running of 400 festivals across the country annually, many of which have an international dimension. The organisation is run, however, on a shoestring budget and it has asked me to seek a meeting with the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ring, to see how it can add value to the tourism product.

Between 2013 and 2022 we will celebrate the centenary of many significant national historical events. This presents us with the opportunity to attract significant and continuous numbers of visitors into the country. Has the Government any plans to capitalise on these opportunities? A special task force should be established to ensure these events are properly marketed and benefits are reaped.

The litter problem and its effects on tourism is a complaint often heard at local authority level. The reduction in front-line staff in local authorities has not helped the problem.