asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the Government's plans for the development of a countrywide rural tourism scheme which was promised in The Programme for Government, 1989-1993; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rural Tourism Scheme Development.
18.
I launched an agri-tourism scheme in disadvantaged areas, covering 62 per cent of the country, in April this year.
A nationwide agri-tourism scheme will be introduced under the operational programme for rural development which is being drawn up under the National Development Plan 1989-1993. I will be submitting this programme to the EC Commission in the near future and following negotiations I would hope to have a national agri-tourism scheme implemented early in 1990. At this stage, the details of the scheme have not been finalised.
There is great interest in the development of agri-tourism and we would like to see involvement by local authorities. The Government plan said that a wide range of grants, supported by EC funding, will be provided for a whole range of activity. Will the Minister say what is causing the delay as it is vitally important to have a plan so that the State can avail of EC funding for development?
I do not accept that there is a delay. The Commission do not have a scheme at present but it will be contained in its overall programme for rural development next year. Until then grant-aid will not be available. We are now about to launch, for the first time, a major agri-tourism drive in this country and the Deputy will appreciate that it will involve detailed planning and consultations with organisations such as Bord Fáilte and others. Like him, I am determined to ensure that this will be a dynamic plan and that is why I have put a pollution control programme in place. This will be the base of a major contribution to the national economy.
How will it differ from the last programme?
It will be a lot different from the plans of the Deputy's party in this regard.
It is very hard to have confidence in the Minister's proposals because last year, when £4 million came from Brussels for the specific purpose of agri-tourism, it was subsequently diverted to tourism in general.
I do not know the source of the Deputy's misinformation but she certainly has been misinformed.
Will the Minister extend the plan to the Blasket Islands?
Will the Minister assure the House that areas of the country which depend on agriculture will not be excluded from his proposals?
That is my intention. When one looks at Ireland, it is not just from the point of view of America, Japan or other countries in Europe. They do not think of just one part of the country, they think of it as a whole, a green island with many unique features. It is my intention to ensure that we maximise its potential and that no area will be excluded.
The Minister is very poetic.
The Germans call Ireland "the green island."
We are all with the Minister in so far as that principle is concerned but I should like him to clarify something which I may have picked up wrongly. I understood that funding for the rural development programme has already been decided on for 1993 or 1994.
It has but the Minister does not know it.
I said that the Commission had just brought out the outlines of a global policy —Le Monde Rural— The Rural World. It has not yet made specific proposals but we expect them early next year. I assure the Deputies that we are ready, unlike some other countries in the European Community, to implement them as soon as they are announced.
A final question from Deputy Moynihan:
In view of the major expansion the Minister promised in the agri-tourism business, will he consider setting up a special section of Bord Fáilte, because it is no use developing unless we market and promote the different projects? Having regard to the fact that this is a substantial new venture, it will require new marketing and promotional strategies in which a specialist group should engage.
We have been in constant consultation with Bord Fáilte. It is my understanding, judging from the positive help we have received from them, that they have already devoted attention to what the Deputy has said. I cannot say precisely which unit, but they are examining it on that basis.
Confident of the source of the facts I gave the House earlier, may I now ask the Minister if in future when funds come from Brussels for agri-tourism he will give this House a commitment that they will be utilised for that purpose?
The Deputy appears to be so confident of the source of her information, yet she refuses to disclose it. I wish she would as I would have an opportunity of repudiating it. There is no point in making allegations which are unfounded. That is all I can say. I can assure the Deputy that no funds have been diverted from any source. The Deputy would need to revert to whoever it was started that malicious story and simply repudiate it.
Will the Minister say whether county development teams will be consulted under the provisions of this plan?
Yes, I would confidently expect that they would be. That would be my expectation but I do not want to put that down as a rule at this point.
I welcome the Minister's commitment in this regard. He may have replied already but I should like him to state when it is anticipated that such a plan for rural tourism will be implemented.
All I can say is that we have brought our preparations and framework to finality. I cannot introduce the scheme until it is proposed by the Commission and adopted by the Council of Ministers. Let me assure the Deputy that, during our Presidency, we will ensure it is given priority at Council discussions.
Would the Minister not agree that it would be important that emphasis be placed on this scheme in small farm areas — as an alternative to the farm enterprise scheme — and that it will need to be sold somewhat in those areas because traditionally they are not tourism-related? Would the Minister not agree that it would be important to develop those areas along those lines because they could well benefit therefrom?
I agree with the Deputy.