Vol. 482 No. 1
26 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has received the results of the mid-term review of the EU Operational Programme for Tourism; if the east coast region is recommended by the EU Commission for exclusion from further funding under Measure 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17186/97]
118 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will make a statement on the evaluation report on the Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99, which shows that virtually all of the budget is allocated with only one seventh of the targets established in relation to improvements to conference facilities, in view of the fact that conference business into Ireland is growing strongly. [17485/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 118 together.
The report on the mid-term evaluation of the Operational Programme for Tourism was undertaken on behalf of the monitoring committee for the programme in the context of the mid-term of the Community Support Framework (CSF) for Ireland 1994-99.
Following extensive evaluation and consultation, the European Commission and the Government agreed the CSF 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 intended that all issues relating to the mid-term review package, will be dealt with by the tourism monitoring committee, whose membership includes the EU Commission, at its meeting scheduled for November next, including the issues of possible financial transfers within the programme, re-organisation of priorities and selection criteria.
It would not be appropriate for me to attempt to pre-empt the outcome of the deliberations of the monitoring committee.
