Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Noone raised the issue of the genealogy tourism project in Kilkenny. It is a good news story for today's Order of Business and I commend Senator Noone on raising it. It is important that genealogy is used as a tool to promote Ireland, in particular in North America and Canada, whose people love to trace their roots across generations.I commend those involved in Kilkenny. I hope that we will not just see the five groups from Canada visiting, but a variety of tourists from North America and elsewhere around the world.

Senator Paddy Burke asked for the Minister to attend the House. He was right, in that the issue of visitors from the UK post Brexit must be tackled. The tourism sector's link with the UK must continue.

I will not accept Senator Conway-Walsh's amendment in light of the fact that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, will attend the House next week to discuss the matter. It is important that we have that debate.