Vol. 448 No. 8
8 Mr. Cowen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the number of hotels, country house hotels, farmhouses and bed and breakfast houses registered with Bord Fáilte; the requirements for registration of accommodation with Bord Fáilte; and the proposals, if any, he has for extending such registration to unregistered tourist accommodation. [2263/95]
28 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the plans, if any, he has to introduce a comprehensive and mandatory licensing system for all bed and breakfasts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2910/95]
56 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if he will introduce a system of registration for all types of tourist accommodation; if so, the nature and extent of such a system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2304/95]
57 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the proposals, if any, he has to ensure that the standard of accommodation provided for tourists is of a sufficiently and uniformly high standard. [2307/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 28, 56 and 57 together.
I propose to circulate in the Official Report a schedule setting out the number of premises registered or approved by Bord Fáilte in the different categories requested by the Deputy. The requirements for such registration or approval are either laid down in Regulations made under the Tourist Traffic Acts 1939-87 or in the relevant official standards set by Bord Fáilte.
I do not propose to introduce a system of mandatory registration for all types of tourist accommodation. Such a system is unnecessary, would do little to improve general standards and could reduce the accommodation bank, in particular, for the low budget tourist. Moreover, such a system would give rise to endless difficulties as regards policing and enforcement.
As regards registration, grading and approval of tourism products, in general, the existing standards set by Bord Fáilte are appropriate for our requirements, taking into account our position as a maturing tourist destination and the competitive pressures within the industry to satisfy tourist requirements.
As I have already stated publicly, I have decided to press ahead with implementation of the findings in the A. D. Little review of Bord Fáilte, which envisages the registration and grading functions being subcontracted to a third party inspector while maintaining the Bord Fáilte brand and standards. The detailed arrangements to give effect to this decision are being progressed by the steering committee which has been established to oversee implementation of the review.
Schedule
|
Category |
Number |
|
|
Hotels |
676 |
Registered |
|
Guesthouses |
301 |
Registered |
|
Town Houses |
1,433 |
Approved |
|
Country Houses |
1,792 |
Approved |
|
Farm Houses |
644 |
Approved |
Does the Minister consider that accommodation for tourists should be subject to some form of control in the interests of maintaining standards? I take the point that in the case of reasonably priced accommodation it might involve a huge layer of bureaucracy. However, there should be some form of control over tourist accommodation. As far as bed and breakfast type accommodation is concerned, there is real value of money. I have seen bed and breakfasts in Sneem and around Lough Mask where I fish from time to time. The standards are unparalleled. Would the Minister not agree that it is necessary to subject such accommodation to control?
I am glad the Deputy is continuing his travels in Ireland and takes particular note of areas where quality exists. He is correct when he suggests that there is a diversity of standards within the B & B category. The service offered in many bed and breakfast accommodations is of a very high standard. Great credit is due to those who put time, effort and money into keeping the standards so high. The mandatory licensing of all accommodation is fraught with danger and is a sore point with many people.
It is true to say that services offered in bed and breakfasts are of a very high standard, for which great credit is due to those people who put so much time, effort and money into maintaining those high standards.
The matter of the compulsory/ mandatory licensing of all accommodation is one obviously fraught with danger. While it tends to be a very sore point with a great number of people, to attempt to police such a scheme is, in my view, unrealistic. The previous Government, in its programme set out clearly that it would introduce a compulsory or mandatory licensing system but my immediate predecessor, Deputy McCreevy, stated publicly on numerous occasions that he had no intention of attempting to introduce a mandatory licensing system. It is important that we encourage people who, in many instances, are operating in an unapproved arena and offer a very high standard, into the approved one. It is within that context that the consultants recommended that the product approval and inspection and grading of premises be removed from Bord Fáilte which, of itself, might encourage people to enter the approved arena.
Members will be all too well aware of circumstances prevailing nationwide when social or other large events take place and invariably there are not sufficient registered beds available in any given area. People offer their houses/accommodation possibly in an unapproved fashion. It is very difficult to deal with that. I would prefer to take the voluntary/encouraging route rather than endeavour to deal with something that I know from my experience in the west would be practically impossible to implement effectively.
Will the Minister consider rendering it more attractive for the operators of accommodation houses to register with Bord Fáilte? As he will be aware, many people undertake this provision/business during the peak season. For instance, if compulsory registration was to be introduced in the Galway, Salthill area, there would not be any accommodation for those who come to visit us during the Galway Races week or say, during the August bank holiday weekend, whereas many a student was educated on the proceeds of a couple of weeks' bed and breakfast accommodation during the summer months. It is a very sensitive issue. I consider the way to go about it is the manner in which the Minister has outlined, to encourage more people to register but, in order to do so, one must offer some incentive. Does the Minister have any such proposals?
Deputy Molloy is quite accurate in his observation on this, which complies with my own and that of many other Members. I am examining this matter. I suppose the first reaction would be, if one is registered with Bord Fáilte, that the business accruing from the official guides is worthwhile, though we must remember that inclusion in those books is also costly. I will report back to Members in due course but the route of encouragement, without incentive, obviously is one that may not be very attractive. While I appreciate there are between 4,000 and 7,000 unapproved establishments at present operating, many of which would operate on a very short term basis over a number of weeks, to attempt to rule them by compulsion or licence I predict is a proposal that would not be very attractive to a great number of people. I respect that. I am examining the matter very carefully and will ascertain what proposals we can advance.
Would the Minister consider, on a pilot basis — which appears to be the route he is taking on other matters — reducing the registration fee to a nominal sum, say, for a five-year period to ascertain whether that would encourage people to come into the approved system?
That is a proposal I will examine, analyse and will report on to Deputy Molloy.
