Vol. 471 No. 7
348 Mr. D. Wallace asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the total value of support during 1995 from his Department for projects in Cork county and city; if he will identify each such project; the level of funding allocated in respect of each such project during 1995; and if he will break down each value into Exchequer and EU sub-components. [21557/96]
My Department has no function in the approval or payment of funds or grants to individual projects.
For example, the approval of funds disbursed by Bord Fáilte and Shannon Development respectively, under the product development and marketing sub-programmes of the Operational Programme for Tourism, 1994-1999, is determined in the case of each application by independent management boards established under the programme. Details of European Regional Development Fund grants for individual projects are contained in the annual reports of the management boards, the latest of which covers the period to end December, 1995 and copies of which are now available in the Dáil Library.
Decisions on the allocation of support to firms for trade promotion and marketing, which are supported by the Marketing sub-Programme of the Operational Programme for Industrial Development, 1994-1999, are, under the relevant legislation, operational matters for An Bord Tráchtála. I have arranged for a copy of your question to be forwarded to ABT with a request that they provide you with such information as is available.
349 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the proposals, if any, he has to grant aid tourist accommodation such as bed and breakfasts in areas where there is a demand and insufficient funding available for such development. [22205/96]
As I have indicated in response to previous similar questions, the Operational Programme for Tourism 1989-1993 did not provide support for tourist accommodation projects. Based on the readiness of the commercial accommodation market to respond to growth in visitor numbers without grant assistance this policy was, in general, continued under the current operational programme.
The current programme recognised however that there were a number of market segments where the quality of existing accommodation was deficient and included a provision to assist on a selective basis, investment in certain areas. These are: accommodation-related conference and leisure facilities and a limited scheme of accommodation improvements to existing small and medium sized hotels with a current capacity of up to 100 bedrooms and graded up to and including three star.
There is limited grant aid for certain specialist accommodation needs such as: caravan and camping park facilities; upgrading and improvement of existing buildings for hostel or other specialist accommodation and associated facilities on branded walking routes; provision of new and improved accommodation at approved outdoor pursuits centres in remote areas currently without appropriate accommodation; improvement of existing accommodation at approved residential equestrian centres; horsedrawn caravan and motor-home investments; the additional cost of providing, in existing hotels, suitable access-friendly accommodation for people with disabilities and improved access for people with disabilities at hotel and major visitor centres. In general, in keeping with the overall strategy in the programme, support is aimed primarily at the enhancement of existing investment rather than supporting new development and all accommodation supported must be registered or approved, as appropriate.
I should add that the funds provided under the programme for tourism development projects are generally over-subscribed and, unfortunately, those available for specialist accommodation related developments are fully committed. These and other aspects of the programme's operations will be considered fully in the context of the upcoming mid-term evaluation of the programme.
Other EU funded programmes such as the programme for agriculture, rural development and forestry and the Leader II programme administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the local urban and rural development programme provide support for smaller tourism initiatives. In the Border counties assistance may also be available under the IFI and INTERREG programmes and the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, again on a limited basis. This includes limited provision for accommodation projects, including in some cases, guesthouses and bed and breakfast establishments, on a basis compatible with that in the Operational Programme for Tourism.
