RYAN Hotels is heading for another year of record profitability, according to the chairman, Mr Conor McCarthy.

Speaking to shareholders at yesterday's annual general meeting, he said the group has seen no evidence of a slowdown in its tourist and commercial business, despite increased competition from the growing number of new Irish hotels. Trading is running well ahead of last year.

Mr McCarthy also urged the new Minister for Tourism to push ahead with proposals to provide a conference centre in Dublin, saying that it is "imperative" that the Government speedily provide this facility.

Mr McCarthy said he was encouraged by Fianna Fail's strong commitment in its election manifesto to continue to make exchequer funds available to support the development of Irish tourism. The party, he said, has specifically given a commitment to ensure that Bord Failte is adequately funded in the future.

Commenting on recent criticism of the revamped Bord Failte logo, Mr McCarthy, said the real issue is that Bord Failte has adopted a policy which will increasingly focus on the quality market for Irish tourism. But the birth of a new brand needs financial support at a level which is over and above normal marketing expenditure, he said. The chairman added that he doubted whether sufficient funds had ever been put behind the initial introduction of the new Ireland brand.

The Ryan Group has five hotels in Ireland and three in Europe, in Amsterdam, Brussels and Hamburg. It is currently adding a 100 bedroom extension to the Gresham Hotel in Dublin's city centre which is due to open in June 1998.