Letter from Gordon Campbell to Diarmuid O'Hegarty (Dublin)
(T.I.C. 17724.)

A chara,

I am directed by the Minister for Industry and Commerce to refer to your letter of the 20th April last (S.5427/1)¹ forwarding extracts from a report furnished by Col. O'Reilly to the President regarding his visit to the United States² and to furnish the following remarks on the various matters mentioned in the extracts:

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Lack of hotel accommodation and transport facilities at Cobh: A complaint was made to the Department last year that two liners arrived in Cobh one morning in July and tourists were unable to obtain either hotel accommodation or rail service to Cork. The Department reported the matter to the Irish Tourist Association, and the Saorstát Commercial Representative in New York, who also received the complaint, brought the facts under the notice of the Irish Railway Representatives who were visiting the United States at the time. No similar complaints have since been received in the Department. Probably the reference in Col. O'Reilly's report is to the same incident. The matter has again been taken up by the Department direct with the Great Southern Railways and a communication has been received intimating that 'arrangements have now been made to run special trains from Cobh to Cork to suit the convenience of Americans arriving outside the regular services'.

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Hotels: The proposal that 'the Government should raise a bond drive to erect a number of hotels' does not commend itself to the Department. It is doubtful if such a scheme could be undertaken in An Saorstát. The problem of hotel accommodation for visitors is constantly receiving the attention of this Department, whilst the Irish Tourist Association are making every effort to provide better hotel services and to improve the standard of hotels generally throughout the country. From reports received, it appears that a marked improvement has been evident in Saorstát hotels during recent years.

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Admission of Tourists' motor cars: It is apparent that the persons who complained of the 'very high duty ... put on American tourists who take their cars into Ireland for touring purposes' are completely misinformed as to the actual position. The Department have requested the Irish Tourist Association to give due publicity to the facilities provided and the following is an extract from the Association's reply:

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Prize Competition in 'Boston Post': A scheme of the kind suggested for attracting visitors to An Saorstát is one for consideration by the Irish Tourist Association and accordingly Mr. Carberry's proposal was submitted to them. A copy of the Association's reply is enclosed for your information.³ As it does not appear that the proposal appeals to the Association the Department do not propose to make the further enquiries suggested. Should Col. O'Reilly, however, consider that the matter is worth further attention the Department would be prepared to re-open the question.

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Reception of Americans: The matter of the reception of well-to-do Americans is one which would appear to be more appropriate to the Department of External Affairs than to this Department. It is observed that copies of the extracts have also been sent to the Department of External Affairs who will, no doubt, take whatever action is necessary on this proposal.