Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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A high-level coordinating group, chaired by my Department, is identifying at the opportunities that may arise for Ireland, across the sports, tourism and cultural sectors, from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The group comprises representatives from Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, the Arts Council, Culture Ireland, the Irish Sports Council, the Olympic Council of Ireland, Paralympic Council of Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs. The discussions of the group are taking into account the current economic situation and the findings of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Task Force Report which was published last year. The Task Force report made a number of recommendations arising from an audit carried out of high quality sports facilities in Ireland and the findings of a report by Indecon International Economic Consultants on the economic evaluation of the benefit to the island of Ireland of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.

Given our proximity to London and the many accessible routes to and from the United Kingdom, we can benefit from a sporting, tourism and culture perspective. The hosting in Ireland of Olympic and Paralympic teams for training purposes leading up to the Games has potential, while the economic benefits of securing additional tourists to Ireland before, during and after the Games are significant.

In terms of the tourism potential of the event, a number of specific initiatives are being undertaken by the Tourism Agencies to seek to maximise the potential benefits to Irish tourism of having the Olympics in London. These measures include:-

· Working with the official tour operators responsible for co-ordinating the travel arrangements for athletes participating in the Games to ensure that Ireland is included as a destination for pre and post-Olympics packages.

· Arranging pre and post-Olympics familiarisation visits for key media contacts who are attending the London Olympics. These visits will showcase the sports facilities and cultural product on offer throughout Ireland.

· Targeting tourists from London who may wish to get away from the city when the games are in progress, by offering good value offers and packages linked to other events in Ireland and presenting Ireland as a place to escape to and relax.

· Since there will be reduced accommodation and carrier capacity available for visitors who wish to travel to London when the Olympics are on, Tourism Ireland will also be working with UK inbound tour operators to offer alternatives which would fill any gaps in their normal programmes, thereby diverting business to Ireland.

· Fáilte Ireland supported University College Dublin in their launch as a potential Olympic Training camp venue and also supported the European Triathlon Championships this year in Athlone.

The Tourism agencies are also working with Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Bord Bia, as well as their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, VisitLondon and VisitBritain, to identify other opportunities to maximise the tourism potential of the London Olympics for Ireland.

One of the issues that the London 2012 coordinating group is looking at is Ireland's potential to attract international teams and athletes for training camps in the lead up to London 2012. The Deputy may be aware that the American Olympic Synchronized Swimming Squad has chosen the National Aquatic Centre as its pre-Olympic Training Base for the London Games. The squad of over 20 swimmers and team officials will be based in Dublin for three separate periods and will be joined in Ireland by family members and friends at various stages during their stays. My Department is also producing a CD which will contain the details of a number of Irish elite sports facilities which are suitable as pre-London training camps. This CD will be promoted through the network of National Olympic/Paralympic Committees and the Irish Embassies abroad in the coming months.

The Arts Council and Culture Ireland are developing proposals for a cultural programme which would include participation in the Cultural Olympiad of Irish culture groups and the organisation of a cultural programme in Ireland targeted at those of Irish descent living in the UK. These are some of the practical areas of work that are underway. The high-level coordinating group will continue to meet on an ongoing basis over the next two years to maximise opportunities from the London 2012 Games.