Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism her plans to combine tourism culture and sport as a means of promoting the national image; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14247/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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One of my Department's high-level goals – as set out in its current Statement of Strategy - is to promote close co-operation between the arts and culture, sport and tourism sectors in order to enhance their shared contribution to the social and economic well being of the country. Details of progress in achieving this goal are set out in the Department's Annual Reports, copies of which are available in the Dáil Library and on the Department's website. In order to further progress this high-level goal, I will seek to exploit the tourism development opportunities associated with hosting major sporting events in Ireland, encourage close co-operation between Departmental agencies in promoting the image of Ireland abroad, and further develop and exploit the tourism potential of cultural events, in collaboration with the National Cultural Institutions and other relevant Bodies.