Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I thank everybody for their comments. Senator O'Sullivan is correct and as I noted on Second Stage, this is enabling legislation. The checks and balances are working because when this legislation was introduced approximately ten years ago, the cap was set at €60 million. We are currently at approximately €44 million and in the next two years we will exceed €60 million. If there were projects in the pipeline at that time, we would have to come to the Oireachtas with emergency legislation. We are acting to put the appropriate legislation in place, and that does not mean the cap amount will be available. The Minister for Finance will allocate funding to my Department on an annual basis and that will go to Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. Money will be spent on projects but that does not mean there will be €150 million to spend.

People seem to misunderstand the idea. This money is not about marketing or administration; it is simply capital investment and projects. Such projects are assessed. We are discussing this legislation today but the Irish Film Board has the same problem as well as Enterprise Ireland. There is a cap set out for those bodies and if they reach that cap, the Oireachtas must give permission to spend further money. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has a procedure in place and this year checks and balances were carried out in every Department, line by line.

Within Fáilte Ireland there is also accountability. A project coming to that body will be assessed by a committee, with inside and outside professionals taking part. I agree with Senator Quinn in that we have marvellous infrastructure in the country but we need funding for future infrastructure and to maintain, retain and upgrade existing infrastructure in the tourism product. We cannot just stand still; we must move forward. I agree with what Senator Barrett said and the sentiments behind his amendment but the checks and balances, including the role of the Comptroller and Auditor General, are in place. If, at any time, he or any Member of this House, is not happy with the checks and balances I have no problem with them raising it in an Adjournment debate. I will come and reply to the matter. I have no problem either with having an investigation to examine how the procedures are being used. I would be prepared to do that. Money is scarce at the moment and we need whatever funding we have.

On the issue of the marketing budget, which was raised by Senators Mooney and Quinn, one never knows what value one is getting for marketing spend. Senator Quinn, as someone who was in the supermarket business, knows that if one does not advertise, one is not in the game. One has to sell one's wares and let people know if one is offering value for money. That is what we are doing. When we came into government we talked to Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. We told them we wanted more aggressive marketing and selling of this country. However, we should not cod ourselves. I was in Paris at the autumn fair to announce our autumn programme and the events and facilities we have in this country and thousands of other countries were selling their products.

One should remember that this is a small country. On RTE and local radio one hears criticism of councillors, Senators and Deputies when they go abroad for St. Patrick's Day. I was pleased to hear Senator Quinn say how lucky we are in this country to have a national day. On St. Patrick's Day the traffic is stopped in New York to let the Irish walk down the street. Can one tell me any other country that could do it? We will have people criticising us but in other countries they know about this country and what we have because of St. Patrick's Day. That is something we should promote. Senator Quinn worked on a festival committee which promotes the St. Patrick's Day festival in this country. We did not have a proper festival for many years. We need to build on the existing festival. In recent years it has been getting better and better. Cultural and other events are incorporated into it. We need to do that in this country if we expect people to talk about us on St. Patrick's Day. We have a good tourism product.

Checks and balances are included in the Bill and, accordingly, I will not accept the amendment. If at any time a Member of the House has a concern, he or she should raise it on the Adjournment debate and I will come to the House to listen to it and go back to the Department to examine the procedures. This is only a technical amendment to the Bill to give permission in the coming years. I wish there was €150 million available for capital projects and that there was more money for marketing but we did not get agreement on the travel tax with the airlines. To be fair to the Minister for Finance, he allowed us to use that money for marketing and it was well spent. As I indicated yesterday, this year is the first time since 2008 we have had an increase in tourism. We must build on that. The work will not be easy. We need everyone to work together.

I would like to come back to the House in the new year to see what Members of this House can do, and what we all can do on "The Gathering". We have an opportunity next year. We will have further announcements in that regard in the coming weeks. We are setting up committees on the matter in the Department. This will give everyone an opportunity - tidy towns groups, football clubs and cultural events. Everyone in the country can play their part. I will attend a few town hall meetings. We will go back to the old fashioned way again. We will bring people into town halls, not to tell them what we can do for them, but to ask them what they can do for this country.