Vol. 481 No. 2
140 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Bord Fáilte is seeking additional funding for projects which have been submitted for grant assistance under Measure 4, Sub-Programme 2, of the Operational Programme for Tourism; if additional funding will be made available; and, if so, when such funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15854/97]
The independent Product Development Management Board — Bord Fáilte Area — which approves grants under sub-programme 2 of the Operational Programme for Tourism, included a recommendation in their submission to an external evaluator working on the mid-term review of the programme, seeking additional funding for measure 4.
Following extensive evaluation and consultation, the European Commission and the Government agreed the mid-term review package in July. This package sets out the detail of changes which were considered desirable in the overall balance between the various programmes, including tourism, which go to make up Ireland's Community Support Framework 1994-99. It is the intention that the mid-term review of the tourism programme itself will be completed at the monitoring committee meeting scheduled for early November next, where the board's request is among the items down for final decision.
