A visitor survey conducted on behalf of Fine Gael's spokesman for arts, sport and tourism, Mr Jimmy Deenihan, has thrown up serious tourist concerns about roads, transport facilities and signposting.
Pricing, a lack of children's facilities and children's interest activities at heritage sites, along with "ugly holiday homes" on the coast also gave rise to adverse comment. Environment and scenery topped the list of strengths, ahead of the people.
Almost half (46 per cent) of the 515 overseas and domestic tourists who filled in the questionnaires rated transport infrastructure, roads and signposting, especially on country roads, as poor or very poor. No respondent thought the roads very good and only 13 per cent thought them good, with 41 per cent rating them fair.
Transport conditions were the single greatest weakness for Ireland as a visitor destination,scoring highest on a list of weakness. There were "far too few" railways and infrequent and slow buses. A lack of road signs had led to "anxiety", with some tourists warning Irish roads were "really dangerous".
Access was a concern, with too many flights centred in Dublin.
Mr Deenihan said overall, the results of the survey of visitors over 10 weeks from July to September were in line with other recent findings, with much concern about cost and poor value for money. Its value was that it was conducted in rural as well as urban Ireland, as most tourism surveys stayed in the Dublin region, he said.
The questionnaires were distributed to 10 counties including Dublin, Kerry, Cork, Clare, Donegal, Waterford and Wicklow. Some 173 visitors from 18 destinations, including Austria, Australia, Britain, Canada, Israel, and the United States as well as the Republic and the North, found value for money Ireland's greatest weakness with transport conditions a near second.
Fifty-nine per cent considered the cost of food and drink poor or very poor, with prices having risen "dramatically" in four years, one group of visitors from Canada said. Only 26 per cent rated food and drink costs fair and only 15 per cent said they were good.
Accommodation prices fared better, with 44 per cent saying they were fair.
Litter, particularly dog droppings, was regarded as "terrible".
Environment/scenery was considered the Republic's greatest strength as a visitor destination by some 217 tourists, a large number in a list of nine items. Overall, protection of the landscape was considered good or very good. "Ugly holiday homes along the coast" gave rise to some adverse comment.
Friendliness was singled out by 183 of the respondents, representing the second highest score for Ireland as a visitor destination with approximately the same number each (70, 68 and 68 respectively) opting for attractions, culture and music nightlife.
Thirty-eight people thought the euro was Ireland's greatest strength as a destination, while the lack of children's amenities gave rise to a number of comments.