Former Minister for Finance and EU Commissioner Ray McSharry is to head up one of the Government's new regional tourism bodies, it emerged today.
Mr McSharry is one of the chairpersons of the five new Regional Tourism Development Boards (RTDB) appointed to attract more visitors to the South West, South East, West, North West and Midlands East regions.
The Sligo native, who left politics in 1993, is a former MEP and also served as Tanaiste for a brief period in 1982. He will be responsible for the North West.
Announcing the appointments, Minister for Tourism John O'Donoghue said: "The functions and resources will be developed to encompass all key aspects of tourism development including product innovation, enterprise support, training, marketing, infrastructure and the environmental management needs of tourism in the regions."
Former Justice Department secretary general Tim Dalton has been given responsibility for the South West. Gorey businesswoman Elaine Warren, who has extensive experience at senior management level in the international and duty-free drinks industry, will have responsibility for the South East.
Galway auctioneer and businessman Ray Rooney will head up the RTDB in the West. He was a member of the Tourism Action Plan Implementation Group appointed to oversee the 2003 New Horizons Report on the tourism industry. The RTDB in the Midlands East will be overseen by Co Kildare businessman Mr Pierce Molony, a senior steward with the Turf Club and vice-chair of Horse Racing Ireland.
Consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers recommended the new tourism structures in a report and said they would allow a greater focus on the individual needs of each region at a national level and involve the development of national policy and tourism strategy.