The Bantry Bay charter was a demonstration project in the field of integrated coastal zone management that was funded under the EU's life programme. It was one of a number of similar projects across the EU that contributed to the process leading to the adoption in May 2002 of the EU recommendation on the implementation of integrated coastal zone management in Europe.
I understand that EU funding for the charter ended in 2000 and that Cork County Council agreed to meet the cost of continuing the exercise in 2001 and 2002. The local authority advised the charter, however, that it would not be in a position to meet the full costs of the charter office beyond February 2003.
Against this background, the charter put forward a proposal that its costs be met by a number of public bodies. In addition to my Department, I understand that it also sought funding from the Departments of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Agriculture and Food, as well as Cork County Council and Bantry Bay Harbour Commissioners.
The charter was advised at the time that no funds were available to my Department to support the further continuation of the pilot project. This remains the case, and there are no proposals for the Department to become involved in the funding of individual coastal zone management projects.
