Vol. 483 No. 3
350 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the funds, if any, which are available under the Tourism Operational Programme for 1994-99; the funds, if any, which have been spent to date in this regard; and if the full funding will be spent by the end of the programme. [20127/97]
Following the outcome of the mid-term review of the Community Support Framework for Ireland (1994-99), the Operational Programme for Tourism provides some 465 MECU, approximately £354 million, in grant assistance from the European Union for the development and promotion of Irish tourism over the period 1994-99.
Expenditure to the end of June 1997 amounted to approximately £121 million and with grant commitments to date at a very high level, I am confident that the balance of funds will be spent within the programme period.
351 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the number of consortia, invited to compete in a bid for the development of a national convention centre, who had confirmed their intention by 12 November 1997. [20200/97]
The new tender procedure for a national conference centre to be located in Dublin, which is being conducted in accordance with the EU Council Directive 93/37/EEC, is being organised by Bord Fáilte under the aegis of the independent management board for product development.
The full tender procedure notice was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 13 September 1997. The notice was also published in the Irish daily newspapers on 16 September. It invited applicants to submit requests to participate in the tender procedure by 5 p.m. on Monday, 20 October. Bord Fáilte received 12 responses within the deadline set for receipt of applications to tender. On 31 October 1997, invitation to tender documentation was dispatched by Bord Fáilte to seven qualified applicants, six of whom confirmed their intentions to submit full tenders before the deadline set, 14 November, for so doing. These six applicants, who will be responsible for providing a site for the proposed development, have three months to submit their tenders, that is by the end of January next year, following which the tenders will be assessed.
