Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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1536. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of staff and management in Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland; the breakdown of their allocations by grade; if they are full-time employees or contract; and his views on whether the organisations have adequate human resources and provide excellent value for money. [41195/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Matters regarding staffing numbers and grades are operational matters for the two tourism agencies.  Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy's questions to Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland for further information and direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Regarding the adequacy and value of the agencies' staffing resources, I believe the tourism results indicate their strong performance, despite the constraints of recent years.  In keeping with the reforms and economies that took place across the public sector, the tourism agencies reconfigured and prioritised the services they provide in order to ensure delivery of core services and strategic priorities.  

Fáilte Ireland's support for the tourism industry and its efforts to sustain Ireland as a high-quality and competitive tourism destination, coupled with Tourism Ireland's strong marketing of Ireland in key overseas markets, have supported the creation of thousands of new jobs in the sector.  In the new more challenging environment for tourism that arises as a consequence of the UK Referendum on EU membership, I will be advocating strongly in the coming years for increased resources for the tourism agencies to ensure that the employment gains in the sector can be maintained and increased.