Transport V Tourism
So the Department of Transport and the Department of Tourism now have the same Minister.
Must be good for tourism.
So why does a Transport, body the National Roads Authority uproot a harmless directional sign in Ballyvaughan which has been featured on postcards, calendars and tourism advertisiing and has been 'snapped' by thousands of visitors?. As one hotlelier said in an e-mail: 'Will they want us to wear special glasses watching the sun go down on Galway Bay?'.
The same Transport Department scrapped the Golden Trekker scheme which offered free rail travel to visiting senior citiizens. This was again a hasty decision as the scheme was never properly formulated, was far too bureaucratic and did not include bus routes.
It is Transport too which has withdrawn support for Galway and Sligo Airports and is pushing other regional airports towards bankruptcy. Not to mention its indiifference to the plight of Shannon.
There is not much point in one section of the Department of Tourism Transport and Sport supporting tourism growth if the other is intent on driving tourists away.