Michael Woods
Question:48 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the efforts, if any, which are being made by his Department and Bord Fáilte to develop cultural tourism. [10784/95]
Written Answers. - Cultural Tourism and Tourism Angling.
Brendan Smith
Question:69 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the plans, if any, he has to co-ordinate planning and marketing of tourism angling and cultural tourism projects with others under the control of his Department. [10720/95]
Tony Killeen
Question:153 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the plans, if any, he has to co-ordinate planning and marketing of tourism/angling and cultural tourism projects with others under the control of his Department. [10855/95]
David Andrews
Question:190 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the efforts, if any, which are being made by his Department and Bord Fáilte to develop cultural tourism. [11025/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 69, 153 and 190 together.
The Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-1999 which was agreed between my Department and the EU Commission contains a number of provisions for the development and co-ordination of cultural tourism and tourism angling.
These include: (i) the Natural/ Cultural Tourism Sub-Programme which is administered by the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht and the Office of Public Works as appropriate; (ii) the Product Development Sub-Programme which assists the development of tourism products of a cultural interest to visitors to Ireland. These include the development of heritage towns, interpretative centres highlighting the results of modern research on the origins of Ireland and on the lifestyles of Irish people and the improvement and presentation of tourist facilities at great houses, historical buildings and stately homes. This measure is administered by Bord Fáilte and Shannon Development; (iii) in addition, the tourism angling measure will ensure that our coarse and game angling resources are upgraded to the best international standards. This measure is administered by the Central Fisheries Board.
In order to ensure a coherent approach to the administration and implementation of these measures, the Tourism Operational Programme has established a co-ordinating committee which is chaired by my Department and is representative of all other Government Departments involved, such as Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, the Marine etc., and all the implementing agencies. The committee meets on a regular basis to ensureinter alia the maximum integration of measures and an approach to grant aided projects which is fully consistent with the direction of tourism policy as set by Government.