John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if she plans to discuss the difficulties relating to visa requirements for tourists with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13990/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Although not every foreign visitor to Ireland requires a visa to travel here, those from many of the countries identified as "New and Developing Markets" do typically require visas to enter Ireland. Tourism Ireland's review of New and Developing Markets (including India, China and 17 other markets), which was completed in late 2007, found that visitors from these markets stay twice as long as the average holidaymaker, have the highest spend per visit, have a higher propensity to travel throughout the island of Ireland and make significant economic contributions to many elements of the tourism sector. The review also highlighted the potential for increased tourism from Asia and the Middle East and set significant targets – to attract a total of 475,000 visitors from New and Developing Markets by 2013. While these targets were set in a very different global economic context, they highlight the long-term potential of these markets.

To fully exploit the opportunities presented, Ireland needs to be competitive on all fronts. I am advised that the ability of potential visitors to secure the necessary visas in an efficient and cost-effective manner, when compared with our competitor destinations, is an important element of our competitiveness. In that context, the relevant Recovery Actions recommended by the Tourism Renewal Group in its Framework for Action put forward a number of options to explore, having regard to the complexity of immigration policy and administration.

As the Deputy will be aware, immigration policy is primarily a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice and Law Reform and its implementation is a matter for the relevant authorities, including the Garda National Immigration Bureau and the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service. My Department has engaged with the Department of Justice and Law Reform in relation to these and related issues on an ongoing basis, most recently while following up on the Report of the Tourism Renewal Group.

I have also written directly to my colleague the Minister for Justice and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern TD, on the matter. In addition, An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD recently adverted to the issue in his recent address to the Irish Hotels Federation, noting that it had arisen at the Global Irish Economic Forum at Farmleigh. An Taoiseach acknowledged the competitive disadvantage that our non-participation in Schengen visa arrangements presents, and said he had asked the Department of Justice to look for practical solutions to deal with it.

The Deputy will appreciate that migration and border controls are complex and sensitive, affecting not only tourism of various kinds but also labour market policies and inward investment, within the overall context of sovereignty. However, I am confident that, working in partnership, the immigration authorities and the tourism bodies can ensure that the visitor experiences of Ireland compare well with any of our competitors.