Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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414. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he continues to liaise with the stakeholders in the tourism sector with a view to future expansion and employment generation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55085/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am in regular contact with the stakeholders in the tourism sector, both individually and through the various representative bodies, and I am kept advised of issues of concern to the industry directly, through my Department and through the tourism agencies. 

Most recently, both myself and Minister Ring invited a range of National Tourism stakeholder representatives to a meeting in Dublin on 11th December to discuss the issues being considered in the Tourism Policy Review currently being undertaken by my Department. This meeting followed up on a series of regional seminars which took place during October and November throughout the country. The views expressed at these seminars together with the submissions received in response to the Policy Review consultation document issued by my Department will be analysed before the drafting of a new tourism policy commences in the New Year.  The Tourism Policy Statement, when finalised, will set out clearly my priorities for future tourism policy.

As the Deputy is aware tourism makes a very significant contribution to employment in Ireland's economy and the Government has strongly supported employment growth in the sector, in particular through the reduced VAT rate. I am heartened to see that these initiatives have had a positive impact as the most recently published figures by the CSO show that, seasonally adjusted, employment in the Accommodation and Food Services sector increased by 14,200 or 12% to 133,300 in the twelve months to the end of September 2013, which is its highest level in Quarter 3 since 2007.