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Anger at Fáilte Ireland decision E-mail
Written by Deirdre O'Shaughnessy   
Wednesday, 15 August 2007
Self-catering operators in the West yesterday reacted with anger at a Fáilte Ireland decision to withdraw from its inspection and approval scheme starting in 2008.

However, Fiona Monaghan of Fáilte Ireland told the Galway Independent that the sector would still be promoted and developed, with a customer charter being drawn up that all operators will be eligible to sign. She said that Fáilte Ireland had decided its resources were better spent acting in this way rather than as a regulatory body.

The guide to self-catering accommodation will continue to be produced on a commercial basis by a private company and, as in previous years, operators will be required to pay a fee for this, according to Ms Monaghan.

Adrian Cummins, a former West of Ireland self-catering operators representative said “this decision, which was taken without consultation with the industry will result in over 3,500 businesses being affected in 2008 and subsequently will see job losses and closures of properties… another blow to rural Ireland and rural tourism.’

According to Mr Cummins, proprietor of Cummins Cottages Ireland, “These properties have been the backbone of Irish self-catering tourism over the last 30 years, long before group properties or government tax break schemes were set up.”

In a statement, Mr Cummins said that self-catering operators received a two page letter from Failte Ireland in July, which said Fáilte’s involvement in individual inspections and approvals, together with guide publication, is ceasing with effect from Summer 2007.

Failte Ireland correspondence stated, “Premises which are currently ‘approved’ under the previous regional inspection and listing system will remain ‘approved’ until 31 December 2007, but use of the term ‘Failte Ireland approved’, or analogous terminology should cease with effect from that date. A special interim arrangement will apply to premises which currently participate in the Gulliver on-line reservations system.”

It is thought that the Impact Trade Union has requested a meeting with Failte Ireland regarding staff who were not informed of the decision.  
 
Mr Cummins said that the self-catering sector is not represented on the board of Fáilte Ireland. “I am calling on the Minister for Tourism to intervene in the situation and immediately appoint a representative to the board of Failte Ireland,” he said.

 


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