Govt vows to back sports and tourism proposals

The Irish Government today pledged support to the SDLP on sporting and tourism proposals like an Olympics-standard athletics arena in Derry and a 400th anniversary commemoration of the Flight of the Earls next year.

A four-member SDLP delegation held 45-minute talks with Sport & Tourism Minister John O’Donoghue at his department in Dublin.

SDLP tourism and leisure spokesman Pat Ramsay sought support on several initiatives including:

:: a ’centre of excellence’ in Derry to cater for athletes training for the London Olympics in 2012

:: a commemoration to mark the 400th anniversary of the Flight of Earls in 1607

:: development of Derry City Airport

:: general job creation for the North West

Speaking after the meeting, Mr O’Donoghue said that the 11% increase in tourism in Northern Ireland during 2004 was a vast improvement.

“We believe that there is tremendous scope for further co-operation and development, not just in tourism but in sport.”

“There would be even more progress if the Executive and Assembly were up and running again,” he added.

He expressed his support for the commemoration of the Flight of the Earls which would include a summer school and a re-enactment of key events in Rathmullan Co Donegal, Dungannon and Derry City.

In September 1607, Hugh O’Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone and Rory O’Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell set sail from Rathmullan with 90 of their followers and never returned to Ireland.

This journey marked the final destruction of Ireland’s ancient Gaelic aristocracy and paved the way for the Plantation of Ulster.

“You could describe it as a celebration or a commemoration, depending on your perspective,” Mr O’Donoghue said.

“The plans are elaborate but the Government aims to co-operate with the SDLP in every way we can.”

Speaking about plans for the Olympic ’centre of excellence’ in Derry, Mr Ramsay said: “Pre-Olympics is high on the agenda because we need to ensure that our young people are not disadvantaged by lack of access to high-quality facilities.”

“This would also be a sustainable project that would provide excellent facilities for young people long after the Olympics.”

Today’s SDLP delegation also included Irish language spokesperson Dominic Bradley, enterprise spokesperson Sean Farren and Derry councillor Seana Hume.

The Minister said his department still aimed to increase the number of visitors to Ireland by 10 million by 2012, and double revenue to €8.2bn.

He also said air traffic from the US and continental Europe had both increased this year.

“Overall, tourism visitor figures are up for the first six months of this year but not every region is performing well and that imbalance has to be addressed,” he said.