Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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586. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the frequency that his Department has met jointly with both Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland in 2016; and the topics discussed. [32075/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​Officials from my Department and the two tourism agencies meet on a regular basis in a range of different fora.

With regard to formal meetings between my Department and the tourism agencies, four bilateral liaison meetings are held each year with Fáilte Ireland to examine and discuss a range of policy and operational matters, including budgets, business plans, performance against targets, staffing and other matters relating to Fáilte Ireland's work and overall tourism development. Three such bilaterals have been held so far this year, with a fourth scheduled for December.

As regards Tourism Ireland, my Department together with the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland meet Tourism Ireland four times a year, where a range of policy and operational issues are discussed including budgets and staffing issues, performance monitoring and investment plans.  Three such trilateral meetings have taken place to date in 2016, with a fourth scheduled for December.