THE LABOUR PARTY promised yesterday to seek the continuation of duty free shopping after 1999, when the European Commission wants to end the facility for citizens travelling within the EU. Labour also said it was committed to having a national convention centre in Dublin.
Labour is proposing to publish a White Paper on tourism within the first year of the new government's term of office. This will address issues such as the reduction of EU supports to the industry after 1999. It will also consider the question of manpower, as the recent growth in tourism has not been matched by an equivalent growth in the numbers training for the industry.
The White Paper will consider ways of extending the tourist sea son beyond the peak summer, months and will address the imbalance created by Dublin and the east coast gaining market share of the expense of the west of Ireland.
The Minister of State at the Department of Tourism and Trade, Mr Toddy O'Sullivan, expressed support for Bord Failte's new "Tourism Brand Ireland" logo, which he said had come in for some "ill informed criticism".
Mr Pat McCann, president of the Irish Hotels' Federation, welcomed Labour's policy document. He said that since the proposed abolition of duty free sales would increase the cost of getting to Ireland, it was important that Labour remained committed to retaining the status quo.