Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, and echo the positive comments that have been made about his progressing and promoting of The Gathering initiative which has been several years in gestation. I hope the early indications are positive in that regard. It is early - only one month into the year - but perhaps he might provide an update. He has gone into some considerable detail about what will happen over the next year but he might give some indication of the sentiment that is out there and how he has experienced that in the first month of The Gathering year.

I acknowledge and thank my colleagues on both sides of the House, including my friends, Senators Ó Murchú and Brennan, for making reference to the Tóstal festival in Drumshanbo which was, perhaps, the first national initiative undertaken in the early 1950s to encourage the then focus on the Irish in America. An Tóstal, which, literally translated, means muster or pageant, resulted in the setting up of Tóstal councils across Ireland with the theme of Ireland at home. The theme that was encouraged by the local Tóstal councils was to reflect the cultural, social, economic and commercial life of each of the towns and villages in which the festival took place. It was a marvellous initiative. I have a feeling that it might have been inspired by the Festival of Britain which had taken place two years earlier. Either way, when one thinks about marketing, merchandising and all of the modern tools that are used, it was a great tribute to the leaders of both the Government and, as it then was, Bord Fáilte that they were able to introduce modern methods of selling Ireland. They had a slogan, postage stamps and merchandise, all of which we now take for granted. When one considers this was 1953, it was quite extraordinary. It was very successful and it lifted the morale of the country in the way that I hope this gathering will lift the morale of the country at this difficult time.

I am particularly interested in the Minister's focus on the United Kingdom. Irrespective of whatever efforts are being made internationally to bring the Irish family back home - as the Minister pointed out, America looms large in that regard and it is a wonderful initiative to advertise during the "Downton Abbey" series which is very popular in America - the United Kingdom market in general is key. The Minister pointed out that he is using flyers and whatever else, but does he have any insight into why there is a drop in the number of visitors from the United Kingdom? Is it a perception that Ireland is still an expensive country to visit? Is it because it is as cheap to go for a week to a sunny clime from the United Kingdom as it is to come to Ireland? Has there been any sort of insight - with the massive amount of time, effort and money, and the Minister's personal participation - by profiling in the United Kingdom over the past number of years? There seems to be a continuing decline in rather than even a stabilisation of the United Kingdom market, which is our single most important market. I wonder if the Minister has anything to add to what he has already said in terms of how he will address this because, as he will be aware, it is extremely serious.

I also hope that throughout the year there will be an opportunity to promote Irish culture and Irish cultural activities, in other words, the concept of Ireland at home. We have such a valuable cultural identity to offer to the world and I hope an emphasis will be placed on that. I refer to culture in its widest possible diversity, right across the spectrum of Irish life.

I welcome the initiatives. In my county, I have the honour of chairing the Leitrim Tourism Forum set up by the local authority. It, in turn, has set up a special Gathering committee which is chaired by the Eurovision winner, Mr. Charlie McGettigan, who is now a native of Drumshanbo, my home town. They have embarked, like many other counties, on a number of activities that will take place throughout the year. I am sure it is welcome news to the Minister that such a local response has been enthusiastic and that all agencies and all engaged in tourism, from the local authorities down, are getting involved.

My original focus was on the United Kingdom market. I am not for one moment anticipating the Minister has ready answers to this, but there is something radically wrong there. There is some difficulty. Despite what we are throwing at the United Kingdom market, it does not seem to be generating the response that it should.