Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 May 2023
69. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the consultations to date between her Department and its agencies with their counterparts in Northern Ireland in relation to the development of cross-Border tourism projects under the Peace Plus Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23675/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the PEACE PLUS 2021-2027 programme presents an excellent opportunity to deliver North-South co-operation projects in the border counties and tourism is one of the investment areas identified under the programme.
Since 2019, officials in my Department have been engaging with their counterparts in the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland and with the three tourism agencies on the island – Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland - to identify possible tourism initiatives or pipeline projects that may qualify for PEACE PLUS funding.
Department officials, both North and South, continue to engage with the three tourism agencies and the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) in advance of Calls for Applications for cross-border tourism related projects, after which a joint tourism proposal will be submitted to the SEUPB for consideration for programme funding.
