Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I, too, extend my sympathy to our colleague Senator John Kelly on the death of his father.

Following the general election in 2011, the Government said it would reduce the travel tax to zero. It was reduced from €10 to €3 but, thankfully, the Government has honoured the commitment it made and, from today, there will be no travel tax on flights into and out of Ireland. The airlines have responded positively too, with more than 20 new flights into Ireland and increased capacity on existing routes. That is why the Government is fulfilling that commitment today. The abolition of this tax will greatly enhance the tourism potential of our country and will increase tourist numbers. Last year - the year of The Gathering - saw the most significant increase in visitor numbers since 2009, but the abolition of the travel tax will ensure that greater numbers travel to our country in the future.