Michael Smith
Ceist:5 Mr. M. Smith asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the efforts being made to develop heritage tourism. [14046/95]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cultural Tourism.
Michael Smith
Ceist:44 Mr. M. Smith asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the efforts being made to develop Irish cultural tourism. [14047/95]
Tony Killeen
Ceist:113 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the efforts, if any, being made to develop heritage tourism. [14107/95]
Tony Killeen
Ceist:114 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the efforts, if any, being made to develop Irish cultural tourism. [14108/95]
David Andrews
Ceist:133 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the efforts, if any, being made to develop heritage tourism. [14137/95]
David Andrews
Ceist:134 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the efforts, if any, being made to develop Irish cultural tourism. [14138/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 5, 44, 113, 114, 133 and 134 together.
The EU funded Operational Programme for Tourism, 1994-1999, is currently offering significant financial support for the development of cultural and heritage tourism.
The natural-cultural tourism sub-programme, which is administered by the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht and the Office of Public Works, has an overall EU budget allocation of almost £94 million, for the development and enhancement of Ireland's national cultural institutions, national monuments and historic properties, waterways, nature reserves and national parks, as well as encouraging new regional cultural initiatives.
Some £28 million in EU aid is available under the product development sub-programme to support, inter alia, heritage towns, visitor centres, the improvement and presentation of tourist facilities at great houses, historical buildings and stately homes and the restoration of heritage gardens. These measures are administered by Bord Fáilte and Shannon Development.
In addition, funds are available under the marketing and training sub-programmes for the promotion of heritage and cultural tourism and for the training of personnel associated with these products. These sub-programmes are administered by Bord Fáilte and CERT respectively. For instance, the product marketing group, Heritage Ireland, has already been set up and is actively marketing Ireland's heritage internationally with the help of EU assistance provided by Bord Fáilte under the tourism programme.
Deputies can, I believe, be assured therefore that substantial encouragement is being offered by the various implementing agencies under the tourism programme to develop the heritage and cultural tourism areas for our visitors.
Is the Minister satisfied with the level of co-operation between the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht which is centrally involved in heritage tourism and the Department of Tourism and Trade or would the entire area be better served exclusively by his Department?
I suppose it would be foolish of any Minister to say that he or she would not want as much as could be allocated in their budget. There is a great deal of co-operation between both Departments and the Deputy can be assured that we are intent on providing the best possible product and facilities for our visitors.
Deputy Killeen must be disappointed with the Clare Minister.
Tá suim mhór agam sa cheist seo agus ó thaobh na hoidhreachta de, ba mhaith liom ceist a chur ar an Aire. An aithníonn sé an taitneamh a bhaineann cuairteoirí as dátheangachas a fheiceáil agus a chloisteáil sa tír seo, mar a bhaineann Éireannaigh taitneamh as an dátheangachas sa Bhreatain Bheag agus i dtíortha eile atá in aice linn? An bhfuil aon pholasaí nó aon treoirlínte, fiú, ag an Aire maidir le dátheangachas ó thaobh na hoidhreachta de, ó thaobh chomharthaí bóthair — tá a fhios agam go mbaineann sé sin leis an Roinn Comhshaoil — ach ar a laghad go mbeadh comhairle á tabhairt ag a Roinn siúd do dhaoine atá ag iarraidh an turasóireacht a chur chun cinn, go mórmhór ó thaobh na hoidhreachta de.
Ó thaobh chúrsaí oidhreachta de, ba chóir don Teachta an cheist sin a thógáil leis an Aire Ealaíon, Cultuir agus Gaeltachta. Ó thaobh an Roinn Turasóireachta de agus an obair a bhaineann le mo Roinnse i gcás turasóirí, bí cinnte más fiú go mbeadh an dátheangachas á chloisteáil ag ár gcuairteoirí, go mbíonn sé ann de ghnáth mar go bhfuil Gaeilge ag cuid mhaith de na daoine atá ag obair i gcúrsaí turasóireachta ó thaobh mo Roinnse.
Would the Minister not agree that in addition to the Department of Tourism and Trade and Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, county enterprise boards and Leader groups may be involved in the heritage area? Does he agree that we have to exercise extreme caution in regard to visitor centres and heritage projects because the projections are based on rosy visitor numbers which may not be sustainable in the long term and in many cases the centres become a financial liability on the council which is helping to prop them up on a long term basis? Would he not agree that the UK authorities have looked so cautiously at heritage projects that minimal financial assistance is given in this area?
Deputy Finucane is absolutely correct. The moneys allocated to heritage works by both Departments are subdivided into components that are very carefully assessed. I agree that it is very difficult to make accurate projections. For instance when the Céide Fields in my own county were first developed it was projected that the annual number of visitors per annum would be 10,000 whereas they had over 80,000 in the first year. In Dingle where I was quite recently I understand that 55,000 visitors went to see Fungi. It is a very indeterminate science and takes into account all the various circumstances. I share the Deputy's view that these projects have to be assessed very carefully and the moneys have to be spent very wisely, otherwise you can have a situation where a great deal of effort goes into putting a proposal on the ground that might not be of any great value in subsequent years.