Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)

I, too, welcome the Speaker of the Parliament of Finland. Funnily, I was actually talking this morning to a Finnish citizen who lives in Ireland. She came back from Finland only yesterday. We are lucky to have her. I wish the delegates well on their visit.

There was some very welcome news for my home county, Tipperary, this morning. Lonely Planet came out with its annual review of destinations to visit across the world and it recommended 25, including Botswana, Peru and Mexico. Tipperary was also on the list. This is a genuine success for us. It has not happened by accident. Incredible work has been done, particularly by the county council, led by Sinead Carr, and particularly in conjunction with the food producers of Tipperary. When people read the reasons Lonely Planet highlighted Tipperary, aside from its scenic views, mountains and lakes, they will see it refers to the quality of the food and locally produced food. This has not happened by accident; it is because an awful lot of work was done by volunteers to build up the reputation.

I am very conscious that I am talking to a Cathaoirleach from Kerry and a Leader from Galway, in which counties there is a tradition of tourism, but we in Tipperary have certainly noticed the number of tourists coming in. The numbers for Cahir and Cashel have been very positive, particularly last summer. This has a knock-on effect on the local economy, which brings a huge benefit. One reason Lonely Planet recommends Tipperary as a place to visit is that there is nothing fake about it. If you want authentic Ireland, Tipperary is the place to go. I encourage everyone, including those from Finland, to visit Tipperary if they are coming to Ireland because it presents an authentic view of the country. For a county that does not have the traditions of Kerry and Galway, this is very welcome. Does the Leader agree that when we talk about tourism and people coming to Dublin, Kerry and Galway, we should acknowledge that we also have some local gems? Now that Tipperary is on the list, will he encourage people to look beyond the traditional locations and go there as well?