Seanad debates

Wednesday, 31 May 2017

10:30 am

Photo of Patrick O'DonovanPatrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Heckling will not get you anywhere lads. Senator Ned O'Sullivan asked about the Tourism Leadership Group. It comprises represenatives of the Department, myself, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, and the whole industry and it has been there for a while. People are talking about diversification of markets. I was up at Fanad lighthouse recently overseeing the work that is being done there by Fáilte Ireland, the Commissioners of Irish Lights and the Office of Public Works. The first visitors I met there were from Singapore. They did not come via somewhere else, they had specifically come to Ireland. Market diversification is working and Tourism Ireland is working.

On the issue of Brexit, we do not know what is going to happen there, it is a bit early yet. We are doing the best that we can, however, which is why we had the sectoral civic dialogue in Dundalk, a border area, and why in the last few weeks I have launched initiatives by Fáilte Ireland, through the Office of Public Works and the Commissioners of Irish Lights, in Fanad and in Carlingford. This is because we recognise that the Border area is vulnerable and that is why we want to build the product.

Senator Ned O'Sullivan is quite right about the north west, 5% is not acceptable. I holidayed in Donegal last year and the year before and the package there, and in Sligo and Leitrim, is phenomenal. The work already happening between the development of the Causeway Coast and the Wild Atlantic Way is tangible and being led by local authorities like Donegal County Council, who need to be commended on it.

I entirely agree with Senator O'Sullivan's point about sustainable tourism. I disagree with him about the bushes along the side of the road however.The Senator mentioned the important word "maintain". At the end of the day we have an obligation to ensure our roads are safe and traversable.

I agree with the points made in regard to the greenway strategies and blueway strategies. When I became Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the development of greenways was spread across many agencies, including the Office of Public Works, OPW, the Departments of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Communications, Climate Action and Environment, and Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Coillte, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the local authorities and so on. That is no longer the case and the matter is now the subject of public consultation. I would welcome Senators' feedback in this regard. This is not only about greenways; it is also about blueways.

This has been an important debate. I thank the Senators who have engaged, particularly those Senators who have engaged from the start and have listened to what I have had to say on behalf of the Government. The industry is watching too. It wants to know that from a political point of view there is consensus that the development of Irish tourism is in a strong place and that the leadership can be supported by people, including Senators, but in realistic terms rather than with will-o'-the-wisp-type suggestions to scrap schemes for the sake of it.

I am open to suggestions. The industry is open to suggestions. This area is not without its challenges. This is a vulnerable industry. We know from what happened in 2008 that the slightest shock, be it an earthquake or a volcano eruption in Iceland, has the potential to do irreparable damage. The last thing we need is political damage to be caused from within this House or the other House.

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