Ireland ’s state tourism committee, Tourism Ireland , is set to reduce its public spending after information emerged of a €3m bill amassed during a period of two years.

Tourism Ireland had been outsourcing work to various companies for marketing and research purposes.

A budget of €78m is allocated to Tourism Ireland , with 70% coming from Government funding; they aim to promote an industry which is worth €4bn. Car rental in Ireland is part of this growing economy, providing transport for tourists and employment opportunities for the local economy.  

The director of corporate services, Niall Gibbon, has said that although consultancy expenditure would be reduced, the budget for market research would remain unchanged.

 "You always have to have external evaluation and build on the things you are good at and where they aren't working, change them. That's the value of independent research," he said, "[ Ireland ] is a place where you can come and get side-tracked off the road and go some place you won't expect".