Vol. 475 No. 8
42 Mr. Cowen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the plans, if any, he has to produce a booklet which would be available to all those involved in the tourism industry and would cover the grants available for tourism, the type of projects for which they are available and for whom they are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6006/97]
I agree that the availability of information on grants and other incentives for tourism development is important if those in the industry and potential new entrants are to avail of the various support schemes.
Information on all EU programmes under which tourism development can be funded is provided in the booklet entitled "European Funding in Ireland", published by my colleague Deputy Gay Mitchell, Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs, in 1995 as part of the Government's communicating Europe initiative. This is a comprehensive directory of all EU structural fund schemes and programmes in Ireland together with details of implementing agencies and contact points and is available, free of charge, from the Department of Finance.
The Operational Programme for Tourism, 1994-99, which contains the largest element of EU grant assistance for the sector is available from the Government Publications Sales Office, and fully sets out the financial framework to the end of the century which will shape the investment decisions necessary to achieve the targets set in the programme. Furthermore, at the launch of the programme in 1994, my Department also published Tourism 2000 which is again available from the Government Publications Sales Office and which, inter alia, contains a comprehensive list of contact points for end-users appropriate to all tourism-related activities covered in the programme.
In addition, both Bord Fáilte and Shannon Development supply comprehensive brochures, with relevant application forms, which contain details of all grant schemes and incentives in the tourism area where these agencies have a role in the disbursing of funding.
