Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I congratulate the community in Slane on its recent award and for supporting The Gathering, which was so successful. I was in Meath recently and am aware of its many tourism attractions. It is an area that could be further developed with the co-operation of Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and the local community. It is a beautiful county with much history. We could do more to promote it. I am delighted to see such a group coming together that is aware of the attractions in its area.

I am pleased to attend the Seanad today to clarify matters for Senator Byrne and the Slane Community Forum in regard to the designation of the Slane Hub as an official Fáilte Ireland tourist office. At the outset I would like to advise Senators that the operation of tourist information offices is a day-to-day operational matter for Fáilte Ireland itself. The management and staffing of the offices, their opening hours and locations are administrative and operational matters for Fáilte Ireland and its management.

Given the pressure on the public finances and in response to changes in the needs of tourists, Fáilte Ireland, like many other State agencies, continues to reconfigure service delivery, reshape its services and prioritise the locations where tourism information offices are provided. As part of that, Fáilte Ireland has been working in partnership with local communities, where possible, in the provision of tourist information by local groups and businesses. Indeed, during 2011 and 2012, Fáilte Ireland established a good track record in that regard, when co­operation with local communities ensured that many tourist information offices that might otherwise have closed remained open.

It is pleasing to see many communities taking responsibility for the operation of their local tourist information offices across the country. To date, approximately 40% of these offices have been taken over by local authorities, chambers of commerce and community groups. Fáilte Ireland currently licences approximately 50 such businesses across the country to operate as visitor information points. In addition to providing supports through free literature provision, training and a mentor contact person, Fáilte Ireland also monitors service provision at the offices through agreed key performance indicators. The visitor information points run by local interests are the subject of an operational or quality agreement with Fáilte Ireland. The agreement entitles a local office to carry the Fáilte Ireland logo as a mark of the standard it has received to provide assurance to consumers and tourists. I wish to emphasise that Fáilte Ireland works in partnership with local authorities and communities on this issue. Decisions are taken on a case-by-case basis in consultation with interested local groups.

As it stands, Fáilte Ireland already partners with and provides support to a number of tourist offices in County Meath, while conducting an ongoing review of allocation of resources to its tourist office network operations. I understand there has been ongoing communication between Fáilte Ireland, Slane Community Forum and Meath & Boyne Valley Tourism regarding tourism office designation for the Slane Hub premises. Fáilte Ireland advise me that a request was received on the 19 November 2013 from Slane Community Forum applying for and seeking details on the application process for designation as an approved Fáilte Ireland visitor information point. I am pleased to advise the Senator that Fáilte Ireland is examining the submission and will be in touch with the forum in the coming days to discuss the matter further.