Vol. 544 No. 1
233 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will report on the Ireland-Wales INTERREG 3 Programme, 2000-2006, regarding the tourism element; the progress to date and future plans, and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28210/01]
The lead Department in the context of Ireland-Wales INTERREG III negotiations is the Department of Finance. The Ireland-Wales INTERREG III operational programme, 2000-2006, was agreed between officials of that Department and their Welsh colleagues and deemed admissible by the Commission earlier this year. Discussions are currently taking place between both authorities on the content of the programme complement. Following agreement on the programme complement and the final approval of the Commission, it is hoped to launch details of the Ireland-Wales INTERREG III operational programme early next year.
The tourism industry continues to be of increasing importance to the economy of both Ireland and Wales. This is recognised by the inclusion of a dedicated measure on tourism, heritage and culture, and will be used to generate additional economic benefits for the whole INTERREG region. The measure aims to financially support joint advertising, promotion and marketing strategies aimed at stimulating growth in visitor traffic to the maritime border region from both domestic and international markets. It will also support the development of joint heritage and tourism projects and the promotion of Welsh and Irish language initiatives, including those related to the arts. Any further enquiries should be directed to the Department of Finance.
