Vol. 405 No. 1
23 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if he will seek changes in the operational programme for tourism under the EC Structural Funds to ensure aid for improvement in hotel, guesthouse and other holiday accommodation, aside from the agri-tourism aids proposed in the operational programme for rural development, since accommodation deficiencies are a major structural problem to the tourism industry in Ireland.
40 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if he will introduce a scheme to grant aid the upgrading and the general development of accommodation for tourism purposes in the Border region; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the troubles in the Border region, in the late sixties and early seventies, prevented people interested in tourist projects from availing of grants in that period; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 40 together.
There is no provision in the operational programme for tourism for grant aid for accommodation developments. The objective of the programme is to accelerate and facilitate tourism growth through the provision of high quality, marketable amenities and facilities, better marketing and improved competitiveness, a better distribution network and increased and expanded training.
Investment is being channelled into improving the range, quality and marketing of our tourism product. This will enable us to compete successfully in specific target markets and to increase and spread visitor numbers over a larger tourism season, thereby expanding the sector's revenue base. The programme is due to run until 1993.
