Vol. 519 No. 3
205 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the current position with the proposed national park in Ballycroy, County Mayo; and the funding that has been allocated to this project for 2000.. [13768/00]
206 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if a site has been selected for the location of an interpretative centre at the proposed national park in north Mayo; and, if so, if she will give details in this regard. [13769/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together.
I refer the Deputy to my reply of 1 Feabhra 2000 to his Questions Nos. 253 to 258 and to my reply of 11 Aibreán 2000 to Question No. 349 from another Deputy.
I have provided a sum of £3 million for this project under the national development plan. Of this, £200,000 has been allocated towards purchasing a site, planning, design work, etc. in the current year.
Initially six possible sites were identified for the proposed visitor centre. Following a preliminary investigation, three of these sites were considered unsuitable. The owners or their representatives of the three remaining sites have been approached with a view to the possible acquisition of one of them. Negotiations are in progress with the landowners in question and I hope that the matter will be resolved in the near future.
