Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 292: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to put in place a strong promotional programme for the new National Conference Centre in Dublin with a view to doubling the level of business tourism to Ireland from €400 million to €800 million per year over the next ten years. [18089/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As is the case in public private partnership projects, facilitating the success of the Centre, which has the title The Convention Centre Dublin, is primarily a matter for the promoters, Spencer Dock Convention Centre Dublin Ltd. However, Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and the Dublin Convention Bureau are working closely with the operators in marketing the Centre to secure booking for 2010, when the Centre is scheduled to open, and beyond. Even already, according to the operators of the Centre, seven conferences have been secured, with a further forty provisional bookings made.

The Business Tourism Section of Fáilte Ireland working with Tourism Ireland and the industry in Ireland via the Business Tourism Forum is implementing co-ordinated marketing strategies to grow high yield conference and incentive business from key overseas source markets to Ireland.