Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

I move amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 1:

After "years" in the last line to add the following:

"— calls on the Government to reinstate funding for Regional Airports in the form of the Airport Management Operation Expenditure Subvention (OPEX), as regional airports are crucial in attracting tourists to areas such as the West of Ireland, and in providing employment to local economies in a general sense;

— supports the advancements and acceleration of the Western Rail corridor and the full implementation of Transport 21;

— supports the development of the road infrastructure to open up the West of Ireland to exploit fully the enormous potential for developing tourism in the west, and in particular the A5 dual carriageway from Aughnacloy to Derry, which will be of crucial strategic importance in attracting tourists to the North West, and which the Taoiseach committed to in advance of the election;

— calls on the Government to expedite the rates re-evaluation review, in light of the burden which the Hotel and hospitality sector faces in the current climate;

— dlú a chuir le cuir i bfheidhm an straitéis 20 bliana don Ghaeilge, chun na deiseanna a bhaineann le turasóiracht teanga bhunaithe a fhorbairt agus a mhéadú (calls on the Government to swiftly implement the provisions of the 20 Year Irish Language Strategy in order that the potential which exists in language related tourism can be developed and enhanced);

— notes that tourists are attracted to visit all parts of Ireland and believes that there is a need to realise fully the potential of All-Ireland Tourism; and

—calls on the Government, with our partners in terms in the North, to investigate the potential of a single tourism body to deliver the effective, efficient and co-ordinated promotion of the whole island as a tourist destination, and to eliminate any duplication which exists currently between the various tourism bodies, North and South.".

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus an Aire Stáit agus ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuilimid ag tacú i bprionsabal leis an rún agus leis an leasú atá molta ag Fianna Fáil. We agree in principle with most of what has been said but we felt it was important to broaden the debate. I was happy to hear Senators Deirdre Clune and Fidelma Healy Eames and a number of other Senators refer to the need for infrastructure to support the tourism industry. This is why we are drawing attention to the OPEX grants for the regional airports, which we discussed with the Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar, on Monday in regard to the situation in Galway. We ask all Ministers to take this on board. We need to keep the airports open to be able to bring in tourists.

As the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ring, will appreciate, it is crucial the western rail corridor is progressed in order that we can move tourists around the western region. In addition, the roads infrastructure promised under Transport 21 needs to be brought forward as a priority. We need to look more broadly than the Twenty-six Counties. We need to work with our counterparts in the North of Ireland, in particular to ensure the development of the A5 dual carriageway from Aughnacloy to Derry continues. In addition, I was glad that Senator John Kelly agreed with us that the rates review needs to be undertaken as a matter of priority.

Chomh maith le sin, ní cheart dúinn dearmad a dhéanamh ar an bhuntáiste mór a bhaineann leis an Ghaeilge ó thaobh na turasóireachta agus na heacnamaíochta de. Nuair a bhreathnaíonn muid ar an sampla a thug Gaillimh le Gaeilge, a léiríonn go dtugtar isteach €136 milliún do cheantar na Gaillimhe mar thoradh ar an Ghaeilge, agus cuid mhaith de sin trí turasóireachta, níl aon fáth nach mbeadh an sampla sin á leanú timpeall na tíre. If we supported the 20-year language strategy, we could increase the economic benefit to our country. We would also add to the image of ourselves as a bilingual, Irish language speaking community. It is not just the Minister with responsibility for the Gaeltacht who should be supporting the 20-year strategy but every single Minister.