Vol. 489 No. 1
116 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if funding is available under the Tourism Operational Programme or the INTERREG II programme towards the provision of adequate tourist information offices at county town level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7609/98]
The location of tourist information offices is a matter for the regional tourism authorities in the first instance.
Resources have been made available under the Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99 to assist the regional tourism authorities in the provision of new and improved tourist information offices. Further assistance has been made available for a separate programme of upgrading existing offices which is under way to improve capacity and throughput of visitors. This includes the installation of automated self-service units at the main tourist offices and at other key locations to provide visitors with a 24 hour service.
The INTERREG II programme also makes resources available for tourist information offices and has specifically provided assistance to the regional tourism authorities to upgrade the tourist information office in Sligo. It is the case, however, that existing applications for funding generally under INTERREG II far exceed available resources and accordingly only the most economically beneficial projects can be considered for future funding, whether these be related to further tourist information offices or other projects.
