‘Agencies need to market Derry and Donegal’

She said more needed to be done to promote the island as a whole and to try to salvage the remainder of the holiday season as we come out of the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking in the Seanad she said: “A place I have spoken about many times in this Chamber - Members may not have heard of it as it is marketed - is the north west city region.

“It is a place I encourage anyone here today and further afield across the island to visit. Everything is on one’s doorstep.

“The north west city region has a city, namely, Derry, in the middle of it for a city break, and Donegal, which has some of the finest beaches and best golf courses. I could say plenty about Derry and all the tourist attractions there, but I will not as I am running out of time. However, an opportunity could be missed if we do not ask all those agencies to come together as a matter of urgency to try and promote the one island.”

The former Derry mayor said there was ‘small window of opportunity’ to do that in 2020.

“Obviously, we are in the middle of the holiday season, but it would be useful if those three bodies could come together and begin to market and promote the one island as a place for people who are fortunate enough to holiday to come together,” she said.