Vol. 543 No. 5
488 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the value of the contract and the consultants involved in assessing the viability of visitor centres established under the 1991 heritage town programme; the total value of capital grants allocated for the establishment of such visitor centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27838/01]
489 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has received proposals from Bord Fáilte to rescue visitor centres established under the 1991 heritage town programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27839/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 488 and 489 together.
Bord Fáilte and Shannon Development were the agencies responsible for the administration of capital assistance for individual tourism products, including those located in heritage towns, under the Operational Programmes for Tourism 1998-1993 and 1994-1999, and for the assessment of applications for assistance under those programmes.
Details of the value of grants to individual projects should be requested directly from the two agencies. However, I understand that under the two programmes some £11 million, 14 million, in European Regional Development Fund grants was allocated towards the presentation of the architectural, historical or mercantile heritage of 34 designated heritage towns.
The external evaluator for the ongoing evaluation of the programme over the period 1994-1999, Fitzpatrick Associates, reported in April 1999 on the impact of the heritage town theme, Report No. 20. The report was one of three produced by them on the programme at the time and together they cost £22,698.
I have not received any proposals from Bord Fáilte such as those described by the Deputy.
