Vol. 475 No. 8
18 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if he has satisfied himself that there is sufficient consultation between the administrators of various development funding organisations, such as INTERREG II, 1994 to 1999, Operational Programme, 1994 to 1999, and Peace and Reconciliation, to secure the maximum benefit for tourism projects from the funds. [5298/97]
The primary source of EU funding for tourism related projects is the Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99. The main monitoring mechanism for this programme is the national monitoring committee which is chaired by my Department and on which the main interests in the tourism industry, the social partners, the European Commission and the relevant implementing Departments and agencies are represented. In addition, a tourism operational programme co-ordinating committee, chaired by my Department and representative of all the implementing agencies, meets on a regular basis to ensure proper operational co-ordination within the programme.
Funding for tourism initiatives can also be provided under operational programmes which are the responsibility of other Ministers — including the OP for agriculture, rural development and forestry and the OP for local urban and rural development — and a number of other community initiatives such as the Leader II programme, INTERREG II programmes — both Northern Ireland and maritime — and the special programme for peace and reconciliation. The international fund for Ireland also has a tourism programme. My Department is represented on the relevant monitoring committees of these programmes.
This co-ordinated approach has so far served to ensure that activity under the various programmes is consistent with national tourism policy. As part of its overall monitoring role, however, and to assure that co-ordination remains optimal, the national monitoring committee for the tourism operational programme has asked its external evaluator to report on the relationships between the tourism operational programme and other CSF, programmes and initiatives which have an identifiable tourism component in order to ensure a complementary and cohesive approach. The evaluator's report will be carefully studied by the committee for consideration as to what further action, if any, may be needed.
