Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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768. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department will work to ensure that the Ladies Irish Open is included on the Ladies European Tour list of events for the 2018 calendar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10153/17]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I would welcome the Ladies Irish Open being included in the Ladies European Tour calendar. However, this is not a matter in which I have a role and it would be a matter for the Irish Ladies Golfing Union in the first instance to engage with the Ladies European Tour regarding inclusion in its calendar of events.

Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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769. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there has been any contact between his Department and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) regarding the possibility of reviving the Rally Ireland event in the FIA World Rally Championship calendar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10154/17]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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My Department's role in relation to tourism lies in the area of national tourism policy. It is not directly involved in the management or development of individual tourism projects or events. These are operational matters for the Board and Management of Fáilte Ireland.

There has been no contact between the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and my Department regarding the possibility of reviving the Rally Ireland event.

Fáilte Ireland's Event Ireland Team is tasked with identifying, bidding for and winning sporting, cultural and other events for Ireland in partnership with relevant stakeholders. They offer a range of practical and financial supports to assist with bid proposals, subject to eligibility criteria, such as the delivery of overseas visitors to Ireland, the securing of private sector investment in the bid, and demonstration of significant economic impact for the event location/region. I am very supportive of the ongoing efforts of the tourism agencies and the national governing bodies of sport to attract international events, subject, of course, to an assessment of the costs and benefits involved in any State financial support, in particular the number of overseas visitors.