Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his obligations to expand and promote tourism here in competition with world wide locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25917/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism I am responsible for the formulation of Irish Tourism policy and overseeing its implementation and also for resourcing and providing appropriate oversight of the State's Tourism Agencies, namely Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, and Tourism Ireland Limited which is the North South body established, following the Good Friday Agreement, to market the island of Ireland overseas as a tourism destination.

Current National Tourism policy is set out in the New Horizons for Irish Tourism Report which was produced by the Tourism Policy Review Group, appointed in Autumn 2003. It is also informed by the Agreed Programme for Government which, in addition to a series of specific provisions for Tourism, commits the Government to provide the sector with sustained support and investment in the coming years. To underpin that support, the National Development Plan provides for an investment of almost €800m in Tourism during the period of the Plan.

The Government has committed to spend €335m on Tourism Marketing under the National Development Plan. This money, which will be channelled via my Department's Vote, will help Tourism Ireland to promote the island of Ireland in innovative and creative ways, though a range of media, including digital media, in our key markets.

The levels of Tourism growth which we have been experiencing in 2006 and this year — 10% and 4% (Jan to August) respectively — suggest that Ireland is gaining market share.