The Minister for Tourism, Dr McDaid, has ruffled more than a few feathers at Bord Failte. And all because of his fondness for shamrocks. His decision last week to restore the national emblem to prominence in the Bord Failte logo has had profound consequences. In its immediate wake, Bord Failte's international marketing director Mr Noel Toolan offered his resignation while the Northern Ireland Tourist Board refused to adopt the new logo, and was once more seen to be going it alone.

While many in the industry were privately sad to see the demise of the shamrock, Bord Failte's disappointment seems to stem more from the Minister's handling of the redesign, rather than its content.

The organisation's staff, from the most junior to those most closely associated with Bord Failte's multi-million marketing drive first learned of the shamrock's return through the media. Mr Toolan, its architect, for example, is reputed to have first heard of the redesign on the radio on his way into work. But Bord Failte chairman Mr Mark Mortell shrugs off the controversy, saying such ministerial "interference" is par for the course when you are working in the State sector. "The Minister is entitled to come in and decide what he wants to do. That's the reality of working in the public service."

Mr Mortell suggests that as the Programme for Government and Fianna Fail's election manifesto had both pledged to bring back the shamrock, nobody should have been overly surprised at its reappearance and insists the company continues to enjoy a good relationship with the Minister. Meanwhile, Mr Toolan insists that he is leaving to further his business career having successfully launched his Tourism Brand Ireland (TBI) brainchild. This week he is discussing his departure with Bord Failte chief executive Mr Matt McNulty. The organisation is now expected to quickly move to appoint a successor to continue the initiative.

Launched in a blaze of publicity less than a year ago, the TBI is said to be largely achieving what it set out to do. At the moment Bord Failte is awaiting the results of market research in its key markets of North America, Britain and in France, according to Mr Mortell. Much of this research will concentrate on tracking how effective the new branding promotion has been in persuading high-spending tourists to visit Ireland and its power in terms of its ability to shift perceptions about the country.

Mr Mortell says that preliminary results to date have been extremely positive suggesting that the marketing campaign is highly effective. In the US in particular, the research has shown a high correlation between the huge surge in the number of people visiting its Internet site and an increase in bookings to the Republic and Northern Ireland.

"We are satisfied that the brand is very successful, particularly in the light of the amount of State funding that has been dedicated to it," Mr Mortell says.

Last year it received funding of around £30 million, which in industry terms is relatively small compared with the huge advertising and promotion costs normally incurred in any international campaign.

And hopes that corporate Ireland would contribute to the promotion have so far failed to materialise. Despite suggestions that powerful Irish brands such as Guinness and Waterford Crystal would incorporate the brand in their own international campaigns, this has not happened. Mr Mortell insists this could still be a runner though, with Bord Failte now hoping that impressive market research results will ultimately lure some potential investors.

"The co-branding idea is still not a closed book. We are still talking to a number of companies and we are hopeful that some will come on board next year."

The group marketing director at the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Mr Mark Alexander, also says he believes that the new brand is making a difference and will fully prove its worth in the coming years.

The difference in the logos under which the two Irish tourist bodies will now operate is a minor setback says Mr Alexander. "It's an unfortunate incident, but the brands are still part of the same family and the new shamrock will be seen as an evolution of the original design," he says.

Everyone, it seems wants to put the shamrock saga behind them and get on with the real job of marketing Ireland to potential tourists.