Vol. 548 No. 5
108 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 96 to 99, inclusive, and No. 109 of 12 February 2002 and the statement on marine tourism in the national development plan, if he will confirm that he will provide sanction of ?25.4 million for marine tourism; if this will cover inland rivers and canals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5808/02]
As I stated in my previous replies to the Deputy, €25.4 million has been allocated to the marine tourism sub-measure which will be implemented by my Department as part of the two regional operational programmes of the National Development Plan 2000-2006. This allocation will be provided entirely from Exchequer funds and will therefore be subject to the normal sanctioning procedures which apply to the provision of such funds in the Vote for my Department.
In developing its priorities for the national development plan, my Department, in consultation with the Marine Institute, has identified the lack of an adequate coastal infrastructure provision as a key development constraint to water-based tourism and leisure, and the most serious obstacle to development as being the lack of service infrastructure in coastal regions in terms of serviceable harbours, piers, slipways and moorings.
As a result, the improvement of access infrastructure in coastal and estuarine areas has been targeted by my Department as the primary focus for development under the scheme. In pursuing this policy, it is intended that investment in infrastructure will concentrate on providing facilities in coastal areas which have suffered from under-investment in the past and which have the potential to provide either new, or enhanced, recreational infrastructure to facilitate activities like general boating, angling and water sports.
