Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Sporting enthusiasts and most Members will be aware that the Irish Open Golf Championship took place last weekend over the Fota Island course in County Cork. I compliment Fota, its members and officials for the magnificent manner in which the course was presented, and commended by players, visiting journalists and worldwide commentators. The event reached almost all corners of the world through satellite media. The presentation of Ireland, as portrayed by Fota, will be of enormous benefit to the tourism sector in its efforts to attract visitors, not only to golf but to enjoy many of the first-class facilities we offer for the wide range of sports for the sports enthusiasts, for relaxation in first-class hotels and bed and breakfasts, or for touring around for literary or historical reasons. Mikko Ilonen's victory this year will be lauded in the Finnish newspapers with the second placed Mr. Mollinari being front-page news in Italy. So it has been year after year, country after country, all bringing favourable admiration to Ireland.

I would mention the praise the victor had for the west and for the scenery at one of his first wins in international competition in 1999, in the west at Rosses Point. It goes to show the importance of further international events and what they can do to promote tourism, not alone in Dublin but throughout the country, realising that next year's open will take place in Royal County Down.

I commend Fota, Bord Fáilte and Fáilte Ireland for the part they played. It was a magnificent international and we in Ireland should be proud of it. I spoke to an American family who intend coming to Ireland later this year because of what they saw on television at the weekend.