Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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236. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the tourism policy review; the number of submissions received to date; the key issues emerging and when he expects to announce same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47467/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Tourism Policy Review was formally launched by Minister Ring and me on 11 September in Dublin Castle. Over 90 individuals from representative bodies, key stakeholders and academia attended the event which marked the publication of a consultation document, raising a series of questions regarding policy priorities for Irish tourism and inviting everybody with an interest in Irish tourism to respond. The responses to this consultation exercise will then feed into the final policy review and statement. The document has been circulated widely to tourism stakeholders and all Government Departments and is available to download on my Department’s website (). The closing date for submissions has been extended to 22 November 2013.

In terms of the responses to date, as of 05/11/2013, a total of 100 submissions have been received from a wide variety of interested parties. The consultation process is also being progressed by means of a series of workshops which are ongoing. This will allow consideration of the views raised and other relevant evidence and analysis before commencing drafting of the new policy in the New Year with a view to finalising it by Easter 2014.