Bord Failte is to receive an extra £5 million Government grant for its 1998 promotional campaign. This represents a 50 per cent increase on what was spent last year.

Dr McDaid, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, announcing the extra funding, said he has asked Bord Failte to design a series of new initiatives for the 1998 campaign, targeted not only at maintaining tourism growth, but more particularly at addressing regional spread. He said he is anxious that all regions should get the maximum benefit possible from Ireland's improving tourism performance. Dr McDaid has asked Bord Failte to prepare new marketing programmes which include initiatives highlighting the distinctive attractions of all regions. The objective of these programmes, he added, "will be to secure a better distribution of tourism revenue in the coming years". The announcement was made less than 24 hours before Board Failte's media briefing today on the tourism outlook for 1998. Dr McDaid caused dismay at Bord Failte last September when he made a decision to restore the national emblem to the prominence in the Bord Filte logo. That led to the resignation of Bord Failte's international marketing director, Mr Noel Toolan, while the Northern Ireland Tourist Board refused to adopt the new logo.