Denis Naughten
Question:73 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the reason for the delay in allocating funding for tourism under the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6627/01]
Written Answers. - National Development Plan.
I do not accept that there has been any delay in the allocation of funding for tourism. The national development plan provides for multi-annual budgeting and has allocated some £350 million for tourism marketing, training and product development over the life of the plan.
The productive sector operational programme contains an allocation of £150 million for tourism marketing. Bord Fáilte was allocated almost £15 million for tourism marketing from the operational programme in 2000 and all of this allocation was spent. This year Bord Fáilte has been allocated almost £20 million from the tourism marketing fund and we expect the total allocation to be spent.
Some £107 million is being allocated to tourism training measures. CERT was allocated £15 million for 2000 and the estimates for 2001 contain a provision of £16 million for current expenditure with an additional provision of £600,000 for capital works. CERT has drawn down their allocation for 2000 and is expected to do likewise for 2001.
Tourism product development to which £100 million has been allocated over the life of the plan, is within the local enterprise priority of the two regional operational programmes which were approved by the European Commission in December 2000. In line with the requirements of the regional operational programmes, the major components of the tourism product investment scheme have had to be notified to the European Commission for State aids clearance and negotiations are under way. Meanwhile the programme complements were approved by the monitoring committees at their meeting of autumn 2000 and detailed guidelines for project promoters are currently being finalised by Bord Fáilte Éireann, in consultation with my Department.
Question No. 74 answered with Question No. 51.
Question No. 75 answered with Question No. 43.