Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as teacht isteach sa Teach anocht chun freagra a thabhairt ar an cheist a leag mé síos. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. The gist of the motion is that I was contacted by Slane Community Forum and Slane Local Heroes about the Slane Hub. It is an office which serves a multi-function purpose. It is a meeting point and an information point for the community and tourists. The Slane Hub developed from the Local Heroes initiative begun around the country by our colleague, Senator Quinn. The Slane Local Heroes initiative has been one of the more successful ones. It is fair to say that since it got up and running the village has transformed from every point of view. It looks fabulous and there is a great community spirit, which always existed but has been very much enhanced, and more tourists are coming to the town as well. The Slane Community Forum won a runner-up prize at the national Pride of Place event held in Belfast. It was joint runner-up with the New Ross Quayside Redevelopment. In this particular year that is an indication of the calibre of the community in Slane and the tourism product it offers. The special award was for a tourism diaspora initiative. Great efforts are being made to attract members of the diaspora to Slane. My colleague, Councillor Wayne Harding, organised a gathering for former workers of the mill in Slane. That was one of the very successful initiatives this year which brought some people home from abroad for the project.

The Slane Hub has applied to Tourism Ireland to be registered as an official tourist office. Unusually, as I understand it, they are not looking for funding. They just want the official designation to be featured on the website and to be automatically included in information provided to tourists. The office is up and running and people are doing a fabulous job already in providing significant tourism information to people. It would enhance the service provided immensely, and it would enhance the status of the village of Slane, if the office were designated as an official tourist office. Approaches were made to Bord Fáilte and they were somewhat rebuffed and told that it could not happen. I felt it was a case of bureaucracy gone a little wrong. The Slane Hub is offering something to the State and the State should be grateful as it will only enhance the tourism product of the village, region, county and country. I urge the Minister of State to be practical and to accede to the request which I understand will be at no cost to the State.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I congratulate the community in Slane on its recent award and for supporting The Gathering, which was so successful. I was in Meath recently and am aware of its many tourism attractions. It is an area that could be further developed with the co-operation of Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and the local community. It is a beautiful county with much history. We could do more to promote it. I am delighted to see such a group coming together that is aware of the attractions in its area.

I am pleased to attend the Seanad today to clarify matters for Senator Byrne and the Slane Community Forum in regard to the designation of the Slane Hub as an official Fáilte Ireland tourist office. At the outset I would like to advise Senators that the operation of tourist information offices is a day-to-day operational matter for Fáilte Ireland itself. The management and staffing of the offices, their opening hours and locations are administrative and operational matters for Fáilte Ireland and its management.

Given the pressure on the public finances and in response to changes in the needs of tourists, Fáilte Ireland, like many other State agencies, continues to reconfigure service delivery, reshape its services and prioritise the locations where tourism information offices are provided. As part of that, Fáilte Ireland has been working in partnership with local communities, where possible, in the provision of tourist information by local groups and businesses. Indeed, during 2011 and 2012, Fáilte Ireland established a good track record in that regard, when co­operation with local communities ensured that many tourist information offices that might otherwise have closed remained open.

It is pleasing to see many communities taking responsibility for the operation of their local tourist information offices across the country. To date, approximately 40% of these offices have been taken over by local authorities, chambers of commerce and community groups. Fáilte Ireland currently licences approximately 50 such businesses across the country to operate as visitor information points. In addition to providing supports through free literature provision, training and a mentor contact person, Fáilte Ireland also monitors service provision at the offices through agreed key performance indicators. The visitor information points run by local interests are the subject of an operational or quality agreement with Fáilte Ireland. The agreement entitles a local office to carry the Fáilte Ireland logo as a mark of the standard it has received to provide assurance to consumers and tourists. I wish to emphasise that Fáilte Ireland works in partnership with local authorities and communities on this issue. Decisions are taken on a case-by-case basis in consultation with interested local groups.

As it stands, Fáilte Ireland already partners with and provides support to a number of tourist offices in County Meath, while conducting an ongoing review of allocation of resources to its tourist office network operations. I understand there has been ongoing communication between Fáilte Ireland, Slane Community Forum and Meath & Boyne Valley Tourism regarding tourism office designation for the Slane Hub premises. Fáilte Ireland advise me that a request was received on the 19 November 2013 from Slane Community Forum applying for and seeking details on the application process for designation as an approved Fáilte Ireland visitor information point. I am pleased to advise the Senator that Fáilte Ireland is examining the submission and will be in touch with the forum in the coming days to discuss the matter further.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased the Minister of State has given a positive response. I had a private chat with him outside and he appeared to be supportive. I understand a process must be followed but the forum has been in contact with Fáilte Ireland going back further than 19 November on the issue. I have been in contact with the forum on the matter for some time. The forum has been rebuffed for a number of reasons. One is due to the location of a tourist office 13 km away in Brú na Bóinne. That is not correct, but in any event, even if it were there, they are two separate and distinct offices and there is no cost to the State. I welcome the fact that the Minister of State has extolled the virtues and attractions of County Meath. It is no wonder my ancestors and sister-in-law have moved from Mayo to Meath. I hope that is for the better. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I again thank the Senator for raising the matter. If for any reason Fáilte Ireland does not make contact with the group he should contact my office but it is part of current policy to encourage local participation. We are delighted to see such groups coming forward. It is the way forward. Fáilte Ireland will provide training, brochures and other materials that are necessary. What is important is that the people involved know their area and love it. They are the best ambassadors. If for any reason Fáilte Ireland does not contact the group in the next week then Senator Byrne should contact my office.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State.