Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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270. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding spent on overseas advertising by statutory bodies on tourism; the breakdown for the years 2011 to date in 2014; the products, areas or attractions it was promoting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38574/14]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Tourism Ireland, a cross-border body established under the Good Friday Agreement, is the body responsible for promoting the island of Ireland as a visitor destination in overseas markets.  Tourism Ireland is jointly funded by my Department and by the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, and thus its overall budget for marketing in a given year is the total of the allocations from both sponsor departments.  In addition, Fáilte Ireland also has a role in relation to overseas promotion as it relates to niche, product and regional marketing.  The amounts allocated to the Tourism Marketing Fund (which is shared between Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland) by my Department over the period 2011-2014 are as follows:

2011: €46,083,000

2012: €39,354,000

2013: €37,245,000

2014: €35,476,000

My Department's role in relation to tourism is concerned primarily with national policy, and decisions in relation to the key messages to be used in the marketing of Ireland as a visitor destination are a day-to-day operational matter for the tourism agencies.Therefore, I am referring the Deputy's question to Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland for further information. Please advise my private office if a reply is not received within ten working days.