Vol. 463 No. 4
140 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the efforts, if any, his Department is making to have grants for tourist accommodation in Border counties brought up to the equivalent of that available in Northern Ireland, which is 75 per cent. [6710/96]
As I have indicated in response to a previous similar question, the provision of tourist accommodation is a matter for the tourism industry and depends primarily on individual operators commercial judgment as to the manner in which to respond to levels of demand. In general the sector has responded well to market forces without grant assistance and there has been a steady expansion in tourism accommodation in recent years. Consequently, the Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-1999 provided only limited financial assistance for specialist accommodation needs in certain specific circumstances and a maximum grant aid level of 25 per cent applies. Grant aid levels under other programmes that assist tourism projects as part of their overall objectives are compatible with those in the Operational Programme for Tourism.
To assist accommodation providers with further expansion plans, all registered and approved tourist accommodation has been deemed eligible for low interest loans under the access to finance scheme launched last September by the Minister for Enterprise and Employment — £52 million of this £208 million fund has been specially earmarked for tourism projects. A similar scheme confined to the Border counties was recently introduced under the "Peace and Reconciliation Fund" and certain tourism projects are also eligible under this scheme. Moreover, investment in registered or approved tourist accommodation in any of the resort areas designated under the pilot tax relief scheme for certain resort areas may also qualify for tax relief under the scheme.
Grant aid rates available in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern authorities and I would not accept that these should, necessarily, be mirrored in the southern Border counties.
