HL Deb 18 November 2004 vol 666 cc187-8WA
Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In the light of the annual report and accounts 2003 for Tourism Ireland, why that body undertook no work to support Ulster Scots cultural tourism into Northern Ireland during 2003; and why the report refers to the island of Ireland's Celtic past but not the Ulster Scots connection. [HL4988]

Baroness Amos

In 2003, Tourism Ireland Ltd (TIL) did in fact undertake a number of activities specifically aimed at the Ulster Scots audience in the United States. Advertisements were placed in US-based publications and TIL also distributed Ulster-Scots Agency publications to key players throughout the United States. In addition, research undertaken by TIL in 2003 on the Ulster Scots market was used to inform the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's marketing activities in the current year.

The reference to "Celtic traditions" is confined to one sentence in the chairman's personal statement.