Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport if she has identified the total employment in terms of job numbers in the hotel and catering sector; if her attention has been drawn to any trading difficulties experienced by the sector in the current climate; if she has offered any encouragement or direct assistance in response; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4197/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport if she has examined the factors most affecting the hotel and catering sectors with a view to identifying how best to assist the promotion and expansion of the industry in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4199/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 78: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport her proposals if any for the future expansion of the tourism industry arising from any policy decisions or directives she has given; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4201/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 82: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport the extent of the submissions she has received or has had discussions with the hotel industry with a view to stimulating growth and the employment potential within the sector; her proposals arising therefrom; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4205/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 83: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport the extent to which she has received submissions from the hotel and catering industry in the context of enabling that sector achieve its targets towards economic recovery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4206/11]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 74, 76, 78, 82 and 83 together.

It is the policy of the Government to develop and support the tourist industry in partnership with the industry bodies that represent tourism businesses. Accordingly, I regularly meet with stakeholders in the tourism sector and receive submissions on various matters of importance to the sector. For example, last September I chaired a forum comprising a wide range of tourism interests including accommodation providers, tour operators and access providers.

I also have regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders as part of the Tourism Renewal Implementation Group, which I established last July and contains members from the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC), the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), and the Irish Tour Operators Association (ITOA), as well as the State Tourism Agencies.

The purpose of the Group is to oversee and drive the implementation of the actions in the Framework for Action produced by the Tourism Renewal Group in its report published in October 2009. This report drew substantially on the submissions received from all sectors of the tourism industry. The measures contained in the framework for action are designed to support tourism in Ireland, increase competitiveness and ensure that the sector is ready for recovery and growth. The Group has already met four times under my Chairmanship - on 6 and 20 September, 27 October and 13 December. Its first Progress Report, summarising progress on measures under the Framework for Action has been published on the homepage of my Department's website – http://www.tcs.gov.ie

I also received a number of submissions and met with industry stakeholders in the run up to Budget 2011. For example, I met the Irish Hotels Federation to discuss their pre-Budget submission. They have since welcomed the measures in Budget 2011 which will have a positive impact on the tourism industry in 2011 including the substantial revision of the Air Travel Tax, the maintenance of marketing funding to Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland and the retention of the current VAT rates applying to tourism services.

In relation to employment in the sector, the Government's new Strategy and Action Plan for Trade, Tourism and Investment to 2015, "Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy", which was launched on 28 September last, contains targets for job creation, exports, tourist numbers and inward investment projects by 2015 and details on how the Government and its agencies will achieve these priorities and targets. The tourism-related elements of the new Strategy draw on the robust analysis already carried out by the Tourism Renewal Group in its Report and Framework for Action. Tourism already provides employment for approximately 190,000 people across the country and the Government aims to both maintain existing jobs and grow employment in the sector by 15,000 by 2015.

Overall, I believe that Government is pursuing the right programmes and measures to support the continued development of tourism, working with the industry and the tourism agencies in order to position the sector for recovery and growth as part of the Government's wider strategy for economic renewal. This work is being greatly assisted by remaining close to the tourism sector through the Tourism Renewal Implementation Group, which will continue to oversee and drive further action on measures to support the competitiveness and sustainability of tourism in Ireland.