Tourism group calls for funding boost for West

A group representing the tourism industry has called for support from the Government to combat the impact the Open Skies agreement will have on visitor numbers to Ireland's west coast.

A study carried out by the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC) found that up to 190,000 bed nights could be lost in the short-term as more US flights go straight to Dublin, rather than stopping in Shannon.

The ITIC supports Open Skies - but said the west of the country needs a promised funding boost to encourage more visitors while airline schedules settle into the new arrangements.

Chairman Dick Bourke explained: "What we're really saying is that this study is underpinning the need for that fund now."

"There is an initial requirement for a marketing fund for the next three years at least - and the suggestion is that that should be the order of €10m a year."