James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions he has had with airline companies on reducing fares to attract additional visitors to Ireland for The Gathering 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16741/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The air transport market into and out of Ireland is a highly liberalised and competitive market. I have no role in relation to the setting of air fares by airlines.  However, my Department and its agencies encourage and promote the establishment of new routes and increases in capacity on existing routes. I have no role in relation to the setting of air fares by airlines. However, my Department and its agencies encourage and promote the establishment of new routes and increases in capacity on existing routes. Tourism Ireland’s ongoing investment in cooperative marketing activity with airlines has contributed to a 26% increase in capacity on US-Ireland routes for 2013, linked to both general traffic demand and the expected increased traffic linked to the Gathering.

Furthermore additional connectivity to and from Ireland has been achieved through Emirates' and Etihad's services from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively, which provide greater ease of access to Ireland from Australia as well as the emerging tourism markets in the Middle East and Asia. These long-haul markets are particularly important for Irish tourism as tourists from these destinations tend to stay longer and spend more. In addition to this, Irish airports offer discounted charges to airlines providing new routes. Tourism Ireland continues to invest in cooperative marketing activity with airlines and negotiations are ongoing with a number of carriers for additional capacity linked both to general traffic demand and the increased traffic expected over the course of The Gathering Ireland 2013.