Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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127. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will commit to more ambitious tourism growth targets than currently exist in the draft tourism policy statement published by his Department in 2014; his plans to put greater funding in place for tourism marketing and development and to reverse the cuts to funding for Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland that have taken place since 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9930/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The new Tourism Policy Statement "People, Place and Policy - Growing Tourism to 2025" will be officially launched later this month.  The three headline targets, to be achieved by 2025 are as follows:

- Revenue from overseas tourism, excluding air fares and ferry charges, will rise from €3.3 billion in 2013 to €5 billion per year by 2025 net of inflation;

- 250,000 people employed in tourism by 2025, compared with approximately 200,000 at present;

- Attract ten million overseas visits to Ireland by 2025, compared to 7.6 million for 2014.

These targets are very ambitious, particularly when one considers that €5 billion target must be achieved in 2014 prices.  I believe that it is important to have targets that are ambitious but credible - and that is what our markets are telling us about these targets.

The increase in overseas tourism revenue will impact directly on the employment numbers with the aim of creating an additional 50,000 jobs in the sector.  These are additional jobs that will support families and communities in every part of Ireland.

Ten million overseas visits is an increase of 31.6% on 2014 levels. 250,000 people employed in the sector represents a 25% increase on the current numbers. €5bn in tourist spend represents a 50% increase in expenditure in the country by visitors.

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation forecasts that international tourism arrivals in our peers in Northern Europe will grow by just 1.8% per year on average from 2010 to 2030.  Clearly, if we achieve the targets ahead of schedule, we will continue to strive for further sustainable growth and our aim will always be to maximise the benefits for the Irish economy.  I look forward to working with the tourism sector and the tourism agencies to achieve the targets contained in the Policy Statement.

The overall Exchequer position has necessitated all Departments and agencies to seek efficiencies and to work within reduced budgets.  While the tourism agencies have seen reductions in their respective allocations in recent years, the funding provided has enabled them to fully implement their respective annual Business Plans and we have seen Irish tourism deliver four years of successive growth.  While the future allocations to the tourism agencies will be dependent on the usual annual estimates discussions, I have no doubt that they will be at a level which will ensure that our ambitious targets for the future can be met.