Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 422: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the hospitality sector as a growth area for jobs. [7233/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government's programme for National Recovery recognises that the big challenge for Ireland is to develop a strategy that will allow job growth and sustainable enterprise. In that regard, the Government intends to implement a number of sectoral initiatives in areas that will create employment in the domestic economy and the Government Programme also specifically includes tourism as a key sector, the development of which we intend to support through a range of measures, and which is of course a major driver of business for the wider hospitality sector.

Tourism and hospitality currently provides employment for an estimated 180,000 people across the country, including around 120,000 in accommodation and food services. The current Strategy and Action Plan for Trade, Tourism and Investment to 2015, "Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy", contains targets for job creation, exports, tourist numbers and inward investment projects and includes a target of an additional 15,000 jobs generated through renewed growth in tourist numbers. The significant measures outlined in the Programme for Government will help to ensure that those targets are delivered.