A Yes vote in the forthcoming referendum on the Nice Treaty would be a vote for further growth of the tourism industry, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, said yesterday.
The Republic had been transformed as a tourism destination over the past decade, he said. This had been due in large part to two major EU investment programmes involving €700 million in structural funds.
"Tourism receipts from overseas visitors are now worth almost €4 billion a year, and the industry supports 150,000 jobs in the economy."
Given the recent downturn in the US market, it was clear that continental Europe had to be targeted as the next-largest and most lucrative tourism market in the world, said Mr O'Donoghue. As a tourism destination, the Republic was ideally placed to take full advantage of its positive image in Europe.
This was due in large measure to the State's economic success as well as "our enviable profile in the world of artistic and sporting endeavour and the perception of the Irish as open and friendly people who have a strong affinity with our European partners".
This world view had been enhanced, he said, by young Irish people travelling to the Continent, to live, work and study.
From a tourism viewpoint, the State needed to capitalise on this perception. "In my view, a rejection of the Nice Treaty could damage this image and jeopardise further growth opportunities for tourism from continental Europe," Mr O'Donoghue said.
A second rejection of the Nice Treaty could easily be misinterpreted, the Minister warned, and could damage the Republic's positive image among continental Europeans.
Support for the Nice Treaty, he said, would ensure Ireland could make a "full and meaningful" contribution to the future development of Europe and position itself to take full advantage of the challenges and opportunities which lay ahead.