Mr. Gogarty: I have been listening with interest to the debate on the monitor in my office, in the Public Gallery and here. I hope the Minister is listening in his office and will take into consideration our views, just as we have taken his views into consideration. Most of what he said in his speech was a rehash of what he said in the Seanad, so we were able to flag what he would say in advance. I have studied the Bill in some detail, which the Green Party broadly supports. We find nothing wrong with it per se. However, we will not vote for it because there is a much deeper malaise in the implementation of tourism policy. We do not feel the Government has earned enough kudos for the Green Party to give its unqualified support to such Bills. There are many reasons for this.

The main problem facing the tourism industry is post-Celtic tiger developments. There was talk about the foot and mouth disease crisis and the atrocities of 11 September. However, as we move on post-Celtic tiger, when the economy is getting tighter, we are faced with a challenge whereby if we are to encourage more people to come to our shores, or more quality in terms of what people spend to come to our shores, we must offer a much more competitive product. I hate saying the word "product" because, while tourism is a product in one sense, it is also selling our people and our sense of place. What is rapidly disappearing is our sense of place and our sense of people. I recently attended a wedding in Crawfordsburn, County Down, and something that immediately impinged on me was the warmth and friendliness of the staff. I noticed also that the workers, from cleaners to restaurant staff, to reception staff to management, all lived and worked in the locality.

That is very difficult to find in post-Celtic tiger Ireland. Many friendly and warm people, some of the most friendly and warm people who work in the tourism and hospitality industry in Ireland are foreign. They include people from New Zealand, Australia, America, Algeria, the Middle East and China. They are all very hospitable, have a natural courtesy and they all do their employers a great service. However, one thing seems to be missing, which is the traditional Irish welcome. One will still get it in certain parts of the country but it is diminishing. At a time when there is more competition from other markets and when global stability is under threat, there is a need to be as competitive as possible, not just in regard to pricing but in regard to people. People come to this country to meet welcoming Irish people. They may work with foreigners, but we need more Irish trained people. If CERT is integrated into the new authority, I hope there will be an incentive to ensure more Irish people to work in the tourism and catering hospitality sectors. It is part of what we are. That is what encourages people to come to Ireland. We seem to be losing out in that area.

We need a more co-ordinated approach to tourism. If the Minister is watching the monitor or listening or reading the "blacks", I say to him that our long-term future as a premium tourist destination is being irreparably damaged because of a lack of co-ordination between Departments. I will give some examples. I recently raised the issue of access to land throughout the country. In certain parts of Connacht, the Dingle Peninsula, the Gap of Dunloe and other parts of Ireland, locals and tourists are being told to "feck off" by farmers or land owners. I apologise for using that word. I do not know if it is allowed under Standing Orders.

An Ceann Comhairle: I would prefer if the Deputy did not use words he knows are not allowed.

Mr. Gogarty: To "f....off". I apologise.

An Ceann Comhairle: I ask the Deputy not to use such derogatory words.

Mr. Gogarty: Certainly. I was just quoting directly from a person in County Kerry who told me what a farmer said to him. There is a deeper malaise in the farming community, which feels that the Department of Agriculture and Food is not giving it enough concessions to compensate for the fact that agriculture prices have dropped. Farmers wonder why they should allow tourists to come on to their land without some form of payback. I suggest that the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism should provide an incentive for farmers to give the public access to their lands, rather than paying them directly.

When I tabled a priority question on the matter earlier this month, however, it was transferred to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. When I asked whether guesthouses should be renamed "family hotels", given that many foreign people do not understand the term "guesthouse", the Minister, Deputy O'Donoghue, said that the matter was not in his remit. If such matters cannot be discussed with the relevant Minister in the Dáil, where can they be discussed? Is the Minister unwilling to take responsibility for all issues related to tourism? Co-ordination is very important.

The tourism industry faces many problems. Ireland is turning into a filthy country, many people are racist or unfriendly, prices are too high and our distinctive landscapes and seascapes are being destroyed by illegal dumping and bad planning. Signposting is often illogical and our public transport system is inadequate. When people want to visit the countryside, they find too often that access is blocked by landowners, as I have said. Ireland's litter problems are increasing, as is the phenomenon of alcohol related violence. The traditional Irish welcome seems to be rare.

The guide to Dublin published by the Lonely Planet organisation mentions some of the capital's problems, including early pub closing times. It says that the recent extension of opening hours barely addresses the problem. It refers to the crass commercialisation of Temple Bar and says that late night Dublin is full of rowdy drunks, vomit and dirt. It suggests that public transport schedules tend to be a loose guide rather than a rule and that tourists should use trains as the buses are slow. Dublin's rip-off culture, according to Lonely Planet, extends from bad museums to lousy restaurants. The guide says that racism is a problem, particularly against Africans but also against eastern Europeans. It complains that road works are prevalent. I have given a selection of palatable remarks that are suitable for the Official Report.

Traffic congestion is a problem in Clifden, a town on the west coast of Connemara that is particularly close to my heart as I have relatives from that area. Some years ago the Government closed the railway line that served Clifden. Although the Green Party and others are promoting the re-opening of the western rail corridor, the Government dismisses the idea. It is another example of a lack of co-ordination. If the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism had any guts he would threaten to resign immediately in response to the fact that other Departments are not helping him to do his job. How can one say "Welcome to Ireland" when this country is turning into a banana republic? How can one say "Come visit us" when it is difficult to get anywhere unless one has a car? It is difficult for tourists to know where they are going in the absence of proper signposts.
The number of visitors to post-Celtic tiger Ireland in the third quarter of 2002 decreased by 2.2% in comparison with the same period of 2001. The fact that the average length of stay decreased by 20% has even more far-reaching consequences. We need to examine why people coming here for holidays are not staying for as long as they used to. The figures I have mentioned do not relate specifically to visitors from the United States and cannot, therefore, be linked with the post-11 September malaise. The problems associated with price increases have been flagged left, right and centre. If businesses are ripping people off, it is our job to highlight it and to explain to them that they are cutting one hand off with the other. For every €1 earned by a hotel, between 35c and 45c is taken up by wage costs. Some tour operators have seen their premia increase by 200% in the past year. Business costs would be reduced if there were set fees for injuries and personal injury claims.

One-off housing is destroying the landscapes and seascapes that attract people to Ireland. Those who like such things are interested in the fact that one can see the sea from our mountains - this is not possible in Germany as one has to choose to travel to the North Sea coast or to the Alps. People from countries like Germany, France, Italy, England and the United States want to walk around Ireland, but access to the land is closed off. The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism is on a hiding to nothing if he does not work with his counterparts in the Departments of the Environment and Local Government, Transport and Agriculture and Food.

There seems to be a concentration on marketing Ireland as a premium destination. Marketing is great, but one can only do a certain amount of it, as political parties have found out to their dismay. There must be something of substance to accompany the marketing. I fear that the substance we had to offer in the past is being diminished. Our unique selling point to tourists as Irish people is being diminished. I strongly urge the Minister to work with the Departments I have mentioned for the sake of the long-term sustainable development of the tourism sector.