Vol. 515 No. 3
98 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the position in relation to implementation of the recommendations from the Investment Programme 2000 to 2006 for the Water-based Tourism and Leisure Sector in Ireland report compiled by the Marine Institute and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6018/00]
The report referred to by the Deputy, the "Investment Programme 2000-2006 for the water-based tourism and leisure sector in Ireland" was prepared by the Marine Institute and presented to my predecessor during 1999. This report estimated that, with a total overall investment of IR£130 million over the period, coming from both public and private funds, an annual net additional economic impact of IR£184 million by 2006 could be generated.
On the basis of this report, the Government included specific provision in the National Development Plan 2000-2006 for this sector. In the plan, there will be, for the first time ever, a specific focus on the water-based tourism and leisure sector so as to bring development of the sector from its current embryonic state into line with the rest of the tourism and leisure sector. Access infrastructure and integrated product development have been identified as requiring particular investment effort. Within the total allocation for tourism in the Border, Midlands and Western Regional Operational Programmes, an amount of IR£14 million has been set aside for access infrastructure for marine and water-based tourism facilities and IR£10 million for ongoing development for angling and related tourism. A further total of IR£10 million has been devoted to improving marine tourism and tourist related angling facilities within the total allocation for Tourism in the Southern and Eastern Regional Operational Programme.
This overall total of IR£34 million will form an integral part of the Regional Operational Programme 2000-2006 which has to be drawn up in order to access EU assistance under the Community Structural Funds for that period.
