Eric Rothschild
Marketing Committee
Eric Rothschild
The Marketing Committee
worked on a number of marketing initiatives during the year;
• Be Our Guest Guide
2000 / 2001 The 2001 edition had over 1,055 premises listed. The distribution
of the 2001 edition of the guide is already well under way with 200,000 copies
distributed by January. The main distribution channels are Bord Fáilte
Overseas offices, regional Tourism offices, Northern Ireland Tourist Board,
overseas promotions and trade fairs, car hire companies, bookstores and general
enquiries.
• Consumer Shows &
Trade Fairs Both during 2000 and to date the Irish Hotels Federation has added
a number of new promotions to the list, in particular focusing on emerging and
growing markets. For example, new destinations in the Scandinavian market, MATKA
in Helsinki, Reiseliv in Oslo and TUR in Gothenburg. Additional promotions took
place in the UK and Germany. The Federation was also represented for the first
time at EIBTM in Geneva. The Irish Hotels Federation attended the Ireland Travel
Trade Workshop, which was held in the RDS last May. A specific brochure was
produced for the event focusing on small family owned premises, and together
with the Be Our Guest Guide was very well received by those attending the event.
The following is a list of the main promotions attended:
| JANUARY | |
| Event | Location |
| Reiseliv | Oslo, Norway |
| Holiday Show | Manchester |
| MATKA | Helsinki, Finland |
| CMT | Stuttgart |
| Holiday World | Dublin & Belfast |
| FEBRUARY | |
| Event | Location |
| Holiday World | Cork |
| Scotland Holiday Show | Glasgow |
| CBR Munich | Munich |
| Birmingham Show | NEC Birmingham |
| MARCH | |
| Event | Location |
| Consumer Days | Amsterdam |
| Consumer Day | Brussels |
| TUR 2001 | Sweden |
| MAY | |
| Event | Location |
| Ireland Travel Trade Workshop |
Dublin |
| NOVEMBER | |
| Event | Location |
| World Travel | London |
| Market 2001 |
• Internet Marketing
A number of developments are underway to improve how the Federation and its
members can more effectively market their product through technology using the
URL irelandhotels.com. Under this banner the Be Our Guest site will be completely
re-vamped not only in its look and feel, but also in its effectiveness as a
marketing tool. A marketing campaign will be put in place to ensure awareness
of the site through both traditional and on-line channels. There will also be
location mapping added on to the site, improved navigation and search criteria.
Members who do not currently have their own web site will be able to avail of
a member template web site.
• Representation on
Committees The Marketing Committee was represented on a number of liaison groups;
with Bord Fáilte, Gulliver, the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation and
the Regional Tourism Associations, which met frequently throughout the year.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Marketing Committee for their
hard work and their valuable advice and assistance throughout the year.
CERT Council
Mary Fitzgerald
CERT is projecting a further
sharp increase in recruitment to their range of tourism and hospitality skills
programmes in 2001. Early indications are that recruitment growth will exceed
the year 2000 record levels by at least 15%. In the year 2000, CERT achieved
a 20% growth in its recruitment numbers. Further growth is expected across student
and adult training programmes.
During 2000, 10,883 people
benefited from CER T training in schools, colleges and in industry. CERT recruitment
to the industry rose significantly as a result of targeted campaigns. There
was particular success in attracting returned workers and the long-term unemployed
into industry employment.
The CERT Strategic Research
Programme entered a new phase with a focus on benchmarking best practice in
international hospitality. The findings of this research were presented at the
CERT World Class Hospitality Conference, attended by senior industry executives.
This work represents a significant shift in the direction of CERT support for
industry and lays the foundation for a new series of CERT interventions aimed
at promoting excellence across industry.
A major review of curriculum
for the industry began during the year. The initial focus was on researching
best practice in culinary arts, front of house and bar training. The study findings
were incorporated within a comprehensive programme of curriculum development,
which will be applied shortly within the education system.
A survey of industry employment
and training needs was completed, which indicated a 5% increase in employment
within the accommodation, restaurant and licensed trade sectors since 1999 to
183,900. The level of permanent employment continued to rise and almost 90%
of the hotel workforce and 84% of restaurant employees are now permanent.
Numbers attending the `Go
Places in Tourism’ road show rose and CERT launched a Young Chef of the
Future competition as part of the recruitment drive in schools.
“RETAIN” was
introduced as a funded programme to increase staff retention in the industr
y. The first phase of an international placement programme was launched to bring
skilled students to Ireland from European colleges offering tourism and hospitality
programmes.
A new e-commerce development
programme was launched to raise understanding of the rapidly growing web technology
within tourism and hospitality. Under the `dot.cert’ label, this programme
operated industry-wide and was supported by practical workshops at three levels,
bringing web capability to levels of equivalent industries elsewhere. E Learning
is also being developed for the industry and by spring 2001, CERT will offer
their first on-line training course for operatives working in the industry.
The drive to boost recruitment
at CERT comes at a time when the tourism and hospitality industry is continuing
to experience acute skills shortages. This shortfall in staffing is largely
due to the progressive tightening of the Irish labour market, strong competition
from other sectors for additional staff and also the continuing expansion of
the tourism industry.
The changing nature of
the labour market has dictated a change in CERT’s recruitment strategy
over the past year, and this has led to the introduction of a much more targeted
approach to recruitment and training, particularly with the adult market.
CERT envisages continued
strong growth across all of its target segments. School leavers remain one of
the main focus points and it has successfully implemented a new `Go Places in
Tourism’ Recruitment Campaign.
CERT runs programmes in
different areas including; full-time and day-release college-based craft courses
for school leavers, advanced craft courses, full-time management courses, trainee
manager programmes and block release. CERT also runs elementary programmes for
the unemployed; Day release programmes; Return to Work for Adults Programmes;
Long-Term Unemployed programmes; and a new initiative for overseas workers.
It is planned to increase the capacity of all of these programmes during 2001.
CERT training is delivered
around the country, either in partnership with third-level colleges or schools,
directly by CERT or within industr y. CERT also develops and provides high quality
training and consulting support services for the tourism and hospitality and
is committed to adopting and promoting the principles of best practice operations.
During 2000, CERT initiated
its "Return to Work for Adults Programme". An initial training target
of 500 was surpassed with over 700 people receiving their certificates by the
end of 2000. This number is expected to exceed 1,000 by the end of this year.
The Return to Work Programme has been and will continue to be a very successful
programme. The secret of these programmes lies in the fact that they are locally
based in rural areas all over Ireland, and appeal to people, especially women,
who may want to return to the work force on a full- or part-time basis. The
CERT Return To Work programme provides them with the skills and confidence to
do that, and there will be further programmes around the country during 2001.
Also during 2000, CERT
opened a training facility for the long-term unemployed in Merchants Quay in
Dublin. Other centres were opened in Ballymun and Clondalkin at the end of 1999,
and all three provide specially tailored training programmes in areas of high
unemployment. Numbers trained under this programme are also expected to rise
with the inclusion of the new centre.
Despite a strong performance
in recruitment within Ireland, CERT has also begun to recruit international
trainees reflecting the need to step up the drive to address the skills shortfall
in the industry. In the last few weeks, CERT has initiated a pilot International
Programme whereby almost 90 Polish and Russian people are receiving three months
training in a CERT training centre in Kerry, from where they will enter the
local industry in the Southwest for a further period of nine months. This pilot
project has received widespread support from the government and the industry.
Employment Committee
Lee Kidney
2000 was another very busy
year for the Employment Committee. A number of key areas were addressed during
the year.
1. Quality Employer
Programme: As in previous years the main focus of the Committee has been
the development of the Quality Employer Programme (QEP). We have had some success
this year with current figures at 620 applications, or almost 70% of membership
showing its commitment to the programme and of these, almost 370 properties
have been fully accredited, just over 40% of membership.
The emphasis in other years
has been on getting the applications in, while 2000 saw the emphasis shift to
processing these applications to accreditations. The Committee has presented
a strategic plan to management of the Federation for the development of the
QEP over the next two years. The objective of which is to convince non-participants
of the value of the programme, to simplify somewhat paperwork necessary for
compliance and to ensure the reassessment process is clear to the hotelier and
honours the spirit of the programme.
A new format for the QEP
programme will be in operation from February/March 2001. This will include an
information booklet for those wishing to have more details on the programme’s
requirements, a booklet on the “essentials” of QEP and a second phase
consisting of a best practice manual with more detailed human resource information
along with other areas to strive for with the QEP for properties wishing to
do so.
The assessment and re-assessment
criteria and reporting are also under review and will be much more detailed
in the revised format.
2. Placement Division:
To assist members with the difficulties they are experiencing in recruitment
the placement division was established. This is a completely new departure for
the IHF. The facility is open to all QEP accredited properties to join for a
small annual fee plus a placement fee per staff member placed. The programme
is therefore self financing. Initially the division concentrated on placements
from overseas, with an emphasis on offering work experience placements to students,
for a minimum of 6 months.
In addition to the establishment
of this division the IHF attended recruitment fairs in Finland, Spain, France,
England and Canada during the year. Countries targeted in this the first full
year of operation for the placement division were: -Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Canada, Spain, South Africa, France and the U.K. The IHF have also
worked very closely with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
to speed up the process of issuing work permits. This is seen by the Employment
Committee to be essential to the success of the division.
3. Career Activities:
- In an effort to attract young students to careers in this industry a number
of events were attended during the year:
4. A new placement criteria
for the allocation of CERT students was agreed with CERT.
5. An updated standard
wage structure was agreed with CERT for their students on placement.
6. The Trainee Manager
Development Programme (TMDP) committee meetings were attended which has overseen
the development of the curriculum and the move from tutorials based at Amiens
Street to Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT).
7. The Transition Year
Programme continued in over 30 schools and we received great assistance in this
from CERT and are grateful for their input.
8. The IHF are also involved
with CERT in the development of day release apprenticeships for chefs. Currently
job descriptions and contracts ar e being developed between the IHF and the
RAI.
9. The Committee was involved
in the development of informative literature for members, in the area of requirements
under the National Minimum Wage Act 2000, for recording of training for staff
on training rates.
10. A Staff Accommodation
Code of Practice has been developed and circulated for use by members as a guide
for the minimum acceptable standards where staff accommodation is provided.
Committee Members included
– Anne O Carroll, Nuala McLoughlin, Philip Gavin, Martin Beirne, Ashley
Wilson and Richard Hurley who all gave freely of their time during the year
to ensure a number of projects were successfully completed. I would like to
thank each of them for their hard work and effort.
HOTREC
John Power
HOTREC is the Confederation
of the National Associations of Hotels, Restaurants, Cafes and similar establishments
in the European Union and the European economic area. Based in Brussels it serves
as focal point for the transmission of the industries views to the EU. It also
monitors European developments and keeps the member associations informed. Two
general assemblies of HOTREC are held annually and in the year under review,
general assemblies were held in Paris and Malmo. These locations coincide with
the taking up of the presidency of the EU by France and Sweden. Reporting to
the general assembly are working groups, which concentrate on specific areas
of activity concerning the hotel, restaurant and cafes businesses.
A tourism forum entitled
“ Tourism in Europe: United yet Diverse” was held in Brussels in September.
HORTREC as a member of NET was instrumental in the organisation of the initiative.
A joint declaration, which emphasises the diversity and complexity of the tourism
sector, was presented to Mr. Colasanti, Director General of the European Commission
DG Enterprise, Mr. James Proban, Vice President of the European Parliament and
Chairman of the Parliament Travel and Tourism Group and many other high level
Commission officials and MEPs. In response to repeated calls by the European
Commission for joint action by the various associations representing the tourism
sector, the joint declarations drives home the message that the European tourism
sector is diverse by its very nature and cannot therefore speak with one voice
on every issue. The intention of the signatories is to develop a clear and co-ordinated
message, calling on the European authorities to nevertheless respect and work
with the diversity and complexity of the sector. The declaration was signed
by the umbrella tourism organisations in Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy, United
Kingdom, Finland, Austria, Ireland (ITIC), The European Spas Association, The
International Air Carriers Association, The European Community Ship Owners Association,
World Travel and Tourism Council, European Travel and Tourism Action Group and
NET (Network of European Private Entrepreneurs in Tourism Sector). It is expected
that other organisations signatures will be added in the near future.
During the year the commission
released four proposals in the area of food safety hygiene. These new texts
aim at merging, harmonising and simplifying very detailed and complex hygiene
requirements previously scattered over 17 existing directives. The most relevant
of these texts for our sector is the proposed regulation on hygiene on foodstuffs.
The regulation, if adopted, will ensure that hygiene of foodstuffs at all stages
from primary production to delivery to the final customer and our sector comes
under the heading of “Retail Trade”. The proposed regulation envisages
food operators bearing full responsibility for the safety of the food they produce,
mandatory implementation by all operators of food establishments of the general
hygiene provisions and of the hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP)
principles, the development of codes of good hygiene practices for food business
sector, at national level the registration of food businesses by the competent
authorities and the allocation of a registration number for each of them and
an obligation for food businesses that adequate procedures are in place to withdraw
food from the market where specific food presents a risk to the health of the
consumer. HOTREC’s approach is that these texts are a major interest to
the sector. Hygiene is necessary in our business but it is essential to keep
in mind that most establishments who prepare food are SMEs and most of them
micro enterprises. This dimension should be taken into consideration when developing
new rules, which should be practical and should put as little additional burden
as possible on the industry.
The HOTREC general assembly
in Paris in May reaffirmed HOTREC’s commitment to a constructive Sectoral
Social Dialogue (“SSD”). This decision was based on the conclusion
of a seminar on the future of the European SSD, held the day before the Paris
general assembly. As a consequence HOTREC proposed to its social partner, ECF-IUF
(hospitality section trade union umbrella body) to launch a study on future
development of the labour market in the sector over the next decade. Over the
year 2001 the social partners will supervise a research project consisting,
identifying and making a preliminary analysis of the main future development
trends and the way they will impact on the sector with a particular emphasis
on the changes in consumer demand and their impact on the workforce and, in
particular, training needs. This work will be followed by a more concrete project
consisting in identification of best practises and the preparation of facing
the future development of this sector.
As temporary agency workers
have been specifically excluded from past negotiations and fixed term contracts,
the European social partners, following a suggestion from the Commission, initiated
during the year negotiations on temporary agency work. These negotiations, which
may last for several months, may lead to an agreement, and then a directive.
They will probably establish the principal of equal treatment of temporary agency
workers in comparison to “comparable workers”. It may also provide
for minimum standards for using temporary agency work on a basis acceptable
to both employers and workers. Issues expected to be at stake include the definition
of temporary agency work, the need for limits of on renewal of duration of such
work/contracts, the definition of “comparable workers” and rules for
official recognition of the agencies. Temporary work is developing from country
to country at different speeds in the hotel and restaurant sector in Europe.
There is a feeling that it is expected to become more important to the sector
in the future. HOTREC is closely following the negotiation process and input
will be provided form the various national associations.
The EU Commission commissioned
a feasibility study, which concluded that an EU wide eco-label for tourism accommodation
is feasible. The competent bodies in each EU member state, in Ireland. Bord
Fáilte, are cur rently considering whether to go ahead with a scheme
for tourist accommodation. There is a strong possibility that hotels will be
chosen as a first product group. HOTREC has a concern that as eco-labels already
existed at national and regional level in most European union member states
they do not believe that another eco-label this time to EU level would have
any added value to that which already exists. In addition, the geographical
dimension to the EU wide eco-label could create confusion because of our different
criteria in view of widely differing regional characteristics.
The European commission
carried out a study on the functioning of copyright and neighbouring rights
collecting bodies. The report, which examined the conditions under which collecting
bodies operate which clarified a certain number of their practices, was finally
completed in early 2000. As a follow-up a public hearing on collective management
to rights was held last November in Brussels. I was present at this public hearing
and supported the HOTREC line, which would like to see a situation where a market
driven system is developed, where the structure and level of tariffs should
not be imposed but fully negotiated and where the negotiations are carried out
on an equal footing. In the case of broadcasted material it is a view that copyright
or neighbouring rights should be collected only once at the source of transmission
and not at various stages of re-playing. HOTREC is presently updating its position
paper on copyright and neighbouring rights and will shortly submit it to the
Commission.
The Technical Committee
of the European Committee for Standardisation (“CEN”) created a working
group on hotels and other types of tourist accommodation in 1996 and a final
draft of the their definitions has recently been circulated. HOTREC worked on
the drafting of the definitions, which would be applied at European level and
which may prove useful in laying the groundwork for ensuring the compatibility
and interconnections of information on reservation systems. HOTREC is conscious
that the work of this technical committee must not be led astray by trying to
establish the European wide classification for hotels or other types of accommodation.
Substantial difficulty throughout this exercise is where the participants encountered
certain cultural and linguistic differences and their meaning in d i ff e rent
languages. HOTREC has up-dated its publications ”200 European Union Measures
affecting the Hotel, Restaurant and Café Sector “ this document
can be viewed on the HOTREC website. Access is restricted by password but this
can be provided by the Executive at Northbrook Road should members seek to access
the document. Details of the activities of HOTREC are now on the Internet at
www.hotrec.org.
Irish Tourist Industry
Confederation ITIC
Mary Firtzgerald
The Federation continues
to play a major role in the activities of the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation
(ITIC), the umbrella body which represents the united views of 22 major industry
sectors in negotiating with government, the EU and tourist boards.
The setting up by the Minister
for Tourism, Sport and Recreation Dr. James McDaid of a new Tourism Marketing
Partnership (“TMP”) is one of the most significant developments in
public/private sector collaboration, ever initiated in the tourism sector. Under
this partnership arrangement, representatives of the tourist industry nominated
by ITIC will work together with Bord Fáilte in developing strategies
and plans for the total annual marketing expenditure on behalf of Irish tourism.
It follows from the allocation by the government of a national development plan
of a tourism marketing fund of £150million over 7 years (2000-2006). John
Power represents the Federation on TMP committee and Gerry O’Connor on
the International Destination Marketing Group.
As part of the input to
the Tourism Marketing Partnership a study commissioned by ITIC revealed that
tourism’s commercial sector spent £103million on marketing tourism
to Ireland in the year 2000. The figure includes investment by both Irish based
companies and commercial enterprises based in various out of state markets.
The accommodation sector spend was £33million. Overall Britain and North
America received the greater marketing investment with industry home and overseas
spending £34million in each of theses major markets. Spend in Europe was
estimated £28million and £4million in other markets.
ITIC warmly welcomed the
establishment of the new North South tourism marketing company, Tourism Ireland
Limited, and pledged industries full support to the objectives and activities
of the new body. Two representatives nominated by ITIC have been appointed to
the new board; Mr. Tony Kelly, Marketing Director of Irish Ferries and John
Power, Chief Executive of the Irish Hotels Federation. Together with Mr. Charles
Sinnott, of Sinnott Hotels, and Northern Ireland industr y representatives,
Howard Hastings, Felix Mooney and Dennis Galway they represent the private sector
interest on the board. The Chairman and Chief Executives of Bord Fáilte
and Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Redmond O’Donoghue, Roy Bailie, John
Dully and David McAuley fill the remaining seats. The Chairman is Andrew Coppel,
Chief Executive of Queens Moate Houses Plc., and Ann Riordan, Marketing Manager,
Microsoft Ireland is Vice Chairperson.
ITIC research projects
in progress during the year include studies dealing with the spatial spread
of tourism and seasonality and a study dealing with the competitive factors
effecting Irish tourism.
Following an invitation
from the Minister of Tourism, Sport and Recreation a delegation met him early
in July to discuss the impact of inflation on the tourist industry. Following
this meeting a detailed letter was submitted outlining the cost of inflation
problems facing the industry. This response, following data submitted by various
sector members of ITIC, highlighted the cost increases that the industry was
experiencing and the pressure which these increases were putting on selling
costs.
Bord Fáilte
Liaison
Mary Firtzgerald
Throughout the year many
meetings took place with the Chief Executive and senior executives of Bord Fáilte.
This is part of a system of frequent meetings in which discussions take place
on the many issues facing the tourist, hotel and guesthouse industry. Through
these meetings we expressed views on such issues as the current market conditions,
likely outcome for the year under review and trends becoming apparent from time
to time.
The setting up during
the year of the Tourism Marketing Partnership also opened up further routes
of dialogue between the industry and Bord Fáilte. The Tourism Marketing
Partnership (“TMP”) comprises industry representatives, nominated
by the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC) and Bord Fáilte executives.
The Irish Hotels Federation is represented on the committee by its Chief Executive
John Power and, on the International Destination Marketing group, by a former
President Gerry O’Connor. The purpose of the partnership is to enable the
industry and Bord Fáilte to combine resources in developing complimentary
strategies and plans for international tourism marketing, against the backdrop
of the policies and targets specified in the government’s National Development
Plan.
TMP has two sub-groups
focusing on the key areas of international destination marketing and niche/product
marketing. Overseas industry consulting groups also input to the individual
market plans. The aim of TMP is to optimise the financing and effectiveness
of the Ireland destination marketing effort and to ensure the most productive
integration between the state destinations marketing spend and industry’s
own marketing activities.
Bord Fáilte continues
to provide a major channel for the distribution of the “Be Our Guest Guide”.
In 2000, the distribution of this guide through the Bord Fáilte offices
in the US, UK, Germany and France amounted to approximately 200,000 copies.
Bord Fáilte in
conjunction with the tourist industry reviewed the Tourism Brand Ireland initiative
and the material to promote the brand. A new agency was appointed to develop
new creative material and it is hoped that this new material will be available
later in 2001.
The contract with TQS
to car ry out the registration and classification, which expired in 2000, was
extended for a further year. The Federation, on the adoption on the findings
of the Strategic Review, will be making submissions to Bord Fáilte on
areas of change which it deems necessary and which may involve changes to the
current registration and classification system. It is important that the industry
has confidence in the contractor designated by the Tourist Board to carry out
registration and classification procedures.
Licensing Committee
Billy O’Carroll
The very heavy workload
in recent years continued into 2000. Major new legislation was enacted in areas
of employment, liquor licensing and copyright.
The National Minimum Wage
Act came into effect in April 2000. Under this legislation, the minimum hourly
wage rate was set at £4.40 per hour and this will be further increased
on 1 July 2001 to £4.70 per hour and on the 1 October 2002 to £5,00
per hour. In our lobbying and many submissions we had strongly made a point
that, in respect of employees within our sector, reckonable pay for the purposed
of calculating the statutory minimum wage should include amounts received as
service charge and the value of board and lodgings. To take account of the cost
associated with training of new entrants and their lower productivity, we had
submitted that there would be reduced rates of pay for under 18 year olds and
first time job entrants. In view of the extent of employee protection legislation
now in force we also expressed the strong view that the need for the JLC system
no longer existed. The National Minimum Wage Act took account of most of our
submission employees under 18 years of age are entitled to minimum national
wage rate of not less than 70% of the standard rate and employees over 18 who
go into employment for the first time are entitled to a rate not less than 80%
of the national minimum wage for the first year and not less than 90% for the
second year. Reduced minimum wage rates are also provided in the legislation
in respect of employees undergoing a prescribed course of study or training
within the work place or elsewhere. In these cases 75% of national
minimum hourly rate is provided for in the first one-third period of training
(but not exceeding 12 months) 80% for second one-third period (but not exceeding
12 months) and 90% for the third one-third period (but not exceeding 12 months).
In order for an employer to apply the sub minimal rates applicable to training
grades, prescribed training or study procedures must be in place. The Federation,
under the auspices of the Quality Employer Programme, issued a booklet and guidelines,
probably the only such booklet issued by any industry group, clearly outlining
the procedures and records to be adopted where training rates were being applied.
Ministerial Regulations
issued under the National Minimum Wage Act 2000, provide that the allowances
for board with lodging, board only or lodging as provided in the JLC are reckonable
for the purposes of calculating the National Minimum Wage rate. In general,
with the exception of our suggestion that JLCs are now redundant, all of the
major concerns expressed by the Federation were taken on board in the National
Minimum Wage Act.
The Hotels Joint Labour
Committee met for the purposes of amending the Employment Regulation Order (“ERO”)
to take account of the implications of the National Minimum Wage Act. A dispute
arose on the proper treatment of the guaranteed gratuities element applicable
to certain categories of employees. The Federation strongly held the view, which
was supported by legal advice that guaranteed gratuities were reckonable earnings
for the purpose of the calculation of the minimum hourly wage rate. Despite
our strongest protestations, the Joint Labour Committee ruled that they should
be excluded. As a ruling of manner would have enormous impact on wage costs
in our sector, the Federation then made a detailed submission to the Labour
Court outlining our interpretation and we also submitted the legal opinions
which we had obtained. Following legal advice, from the Attorney Generals Office,
the JLC was reconvened and the Federations view prevailed. A new JLC then came
into effect on 19 December 2000. This order took account of the implementation
of the National Minimum Wage Act and the first phase of the Programme for Prosperity
and Fairness. In view of the application of the National Minimum Wage Act, the
new ERO rationalised the categories and wage rates set out therein.
The Intoxicating Liquor
Act 2000 came into effect on 6 July 2000. The principal effects of this new
Act are; that licensed premises are allowed to open on Mondays, Tuesdays &
Wednesdays from 10:30am – 11:30pm plus 30 minutes drinking up time all
year round. Normal opening time on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays is from
10:30am – 12:30am the following morning plus 30 minutes drinking up time
all year round. Sunday closing time remains at 11:00pm but the “holy hour”
between 2:00 & 4:00pm is abolished. Closing time on Christmas Eve and eve
of Good Friday and on the 23rd December if it falls on Sunday, is 11:30pm and
the closing time on the eve of public holidays is 12:30am. The time during which
intoxicating liquor may be consumed with a substantial meal on Christmas Day
in a hotel or restaurant is between 12 midday and 10:00pm. The restriction for
the granting of special exemptions for any time on a Sunday, i.e. after midnight
on Saturday and after normal closing time on a Sunday is removed as is the obligation
to provide a meal as part of the condition for the granting of a special exemption.
The requirement to have a dance licence in order to obtain a special exemption
continues.
As a result of strong lobbying
by the Federation, in the interest of protecting the differential after normal
closing times, for premises in the night club and disco business, Special Exemption
Orders must now be granted to 2:30am or 1:00am on a Monday that is not a public
holiday, unless the Court for special reasons consider it expedient to grant
the order for a shorter period. Drinking up time of 30 minutes is now permitted
after the time of a Special Exemption Order and the dance licence in respect
of the place to which a special exemption applies automatically extends to 30
minutes after the expiry of the Special Exemption Order. The Act also allows
for pre 1960 hotel licenses (dispense licenses) to be up-graded to full hotel
licenses on application to the District Court. It also allowed new pub licenses
to be issued anywhere in the state in substitutions for one existing licence
as opposed to two as heretofore. The Act took account of the Federations case
for the closing time for discos and night clubs to be two hours later than normal
closing times, the abolition of the restriction on extensions on Sundays and
of the removal of the requirement to serve a meal in order to obtain a special
exemption.
In general, the licensing
law goes a long way to addressing the issues raised by the Federation and for
which substantial lobbying took place.
The Copyright and Related
Rights Act 2000 came into effect on the 1 January 2001. This is a very long,
technical and detailed Act on an extremely complex subject. The Federation expended
considerable resources in ensuring that its view that the direction, in which
the legislation as initially introduced was going, was inequitable and unfairly
beneficial to copyright collecting agencies particularly to collecting agencies
operating on behalf of record companies. Following intense lobbying in which
we were joined in our efforts by the Night Club Industry Association and the
Vintners Federation of Ireland we succeeded in having the Bill amended in the
following areas; radios and televisions sets in hotel bedrooms will continue
as not being subject to copyright or neighbouring right fees, and all collecting
agencies will have to register under the Act. The collecting agencies operating
on behalf of record producers (presently Phonographic Performance Ireland Limited)
will be entitled to fair payment for the use of their repertoire of recorded
music. The property playing such recordings will be entitled to a licence, as
a right, provided it makes fair payment to the licensing body. In the event
of the user not being happy with the fee being demanded by the licensing body,
the user must now pay what he/she considers to be fair and refer to the dispute
on the balance to the Controller of Patents, Designs and Trademarks. The payment
has to be made at intervals of not later than three months in arrears. Detailed
guidelines on the procedures to be adopted are presently being drafted and will
shortly forwarded to members.
The long running issue
of determining the level of equitable remuneration payable to PPI has made substantial
progress. The arbitrator appointed by the Controller of Patents, Designs and
Copyrights has received written submissions and heard oral evidence on behalf
of PPI and the hotels and nightclubs sector. The final submissions by the legal
teams will be made within the next few weeks and it is likely that the arbitrator
will issue a recommendation in the forthcoming months. A joint meeting with
the Irish Night Club Industry Association and the Federation members involved
in the nightclub and disco business was held in January of this year. Those
present were appraised of the present state of the arbitration process and arrangements
being put in place to set up a special fund to cover the costs associated with
the arbitration proceedings. A further meeting of this group will be convened
when the arbitrator issues his decision to consider the alternatives then available.
As most members will know
I retired from the hotel business almost two years ago. However at the request
of the President, I agreed to remain as chairman of this committee until the
new Intoxicating Liquor Act was enacted and definitive progress was made in
the area of copyright and the determination of equitable remuneration in the
case of PPI. These two items have now been addressed or are at an advanced stage
of being addressed and therefore I will be retiring as chairman of these committees.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation for
the time and commitment given by a number of people who so ably served and contributed
to the committees during my lengthy chairmanship. Without this input we would
not have achieved so much. John Power’s total commitment and indept knowledge
has been instrumental in bringing so many issues to this advanced stage. I thank
him for his professionalism and total support over many years.
Convention Bureau of
Ireland
John Power
The Irish Hotels Federation
has four representatives on the council of the Convention Bureau of Ireland,
the representatives are; Niall Geoghegan, Paul McCracken, Patrick O’Donoghue
and John Power of the Federation. The function of the CBI council is to advise
and guide Bord Fáilte in undertaking the focus for most of the marketing
campaigns with industry to attract significant overseas business from conference,
corporate meeting and incentive market segments. There are two industry sub
committees reporting to the council dealing with the conference and corporate
meeting sector and the incentive market segment. Three year marketing plans
for conference incentive products went into effect in the year 2000 and the
recently announced extra funding in the budget for product marketing in 2001
will ensure that additional funds are available to promote this high yielding
sector.
The Council of the Convention
Bureau of Ireland, through its sub committees, continued to oversee a three-year
marketing strategy and operational programme for the conference and incentive
products. This included the production of a promotional brochure for the Association
Conference market, a planner for the Incentive Travel market, a new web site
for both conference and incentive travel and a major direct mail campaign in
Britain, United States, France and Germany. The Conference Ambassador Programme
was re-launched at the beginning of the year aimed at encouraging Irish delegates
of International Associations to invite their annual conference to Ireland.
Wide ranging support is in place for those who are proposing to hold an International
conference in Ireland.
During the year Bord Fáilte
participated in a number of major overseas promotions in partnership with the
Irish trade. The most important of these were the European Incentive, Business
Travel and Meetings Exhibition (EIBTM) in Geneva and the Incentive Travel &
Meetings Exhibition Executives Show (IT & ME) in Chicago. A large delegation
of Irish Trade participated at both these events. Bord Fáilte organised
promotional evenings in London and Paris aimed at incentive and corporate decision-makers.
Site inspections for prospective conferences and incentive programmes were supported
throughout the year.
A number of large conferences
were held in Ireland during the year including CIES, The Food Business Forum,
Dublin, ISCE (Software Engineering) World Conference, Limerick and World Simmenthal
Cattle Assoc. Congress.
The saga of the national
conference centr e continues and we are awaiting a clarification of the position
surrounding the proposal to build such a centre in the Dublin dockland area.
Finance & Economic
Patrick Coyle
We submitted a pre-budget
submission in 2000 and met with the Minister for Finance to expand on the contents
of the submission. The key issues covered in the document were; Human Resources,
Cost Competitiveness, Adequate Marketing Funds and Product Development. Under
the heading of Human Resources, we called for measures to increase the attraction
to the workplace both for home-based and overseas people.
We highlighted the need
for
Under the cost competitive
heading we called for
The submission called for
support of the existing, new and future marketing development in the North-South
joint tourist initiatives and sought additional funding for destination marketing
of Ireland overseas and particularly to take immediate action to address concerns
in the British Market legislation.
Following the announcement
of the Budget we welcomed the provisional of an additional £12.5million
to tourism marketing, the elimination of Probate Tax and the increase to £200,000
the threshold qualifying for the 12.5% Corporation Tax rate.
As has been the practice,
in recent years, we then submitted a post budget submission in which we asked
for the following specific areas to be addressed in the forthcoming Finance
Bill.
Unfair Competition
Kathleen O’Regan Sheppard
The Strategic Review of the hotel and guesthouse industry will address all major issues facing us, including unfair competition. Council agreed in April that we would decide how we would progress this long-standing issue following the strategic review of our industry. We continued to raise this issue during the year in our meetings with government ministers and senior civil servants. It was also included in our pre budget submission and will form part of our sunmission, which we are currently preparing on the Valuation Bill.
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