St Patrick's trips would be 'cynical'

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said today Government Ministers travelling abroad on St Patrick’s Day would be “the most cynical swansong that you could ever imagine”.

Mr Kenny was speaking after the launch of Fine Gael’s new tourism strategy, when he was asked whether or not Ministers should take part in traditional St Patrick’s Day visits to other countries.

“Your question refers to a Government going away in the middle of a general election on round-the-world trips promoting Ireland. That’s an important element of presentation of the country, but for a Government on its last legs with no support from the people, it would be astonishingly cynical that they might attempt to do that,” Mr Kenny said.

He accused the Government of dragging out the date for an election, “probably until they can have an election when they originally intended to have it”.

He said the Coalition was not serious about passing the Finance Bill quickly, adding that the Green Party was “propping-up” the administration.

Fine Gael’s tourism plan, compiled by the party’s tourism spokesman Jimmy Deenihan, says Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland should be housed in the same premises in Dublin “to facilitate more and better contact between both bodies”. He envisaged a similar situation in Northern Ireland.

Mr Deenihan said the visa situation should be altered to make it easier for tourists from China and India to visit Ireland. He also claimed that bank-run hotels were upsetting the competitiveness of the entire industry.

The launch was attended by the Olympic runner Eamon Coughlan.