Trevor Sargent
Ceist:50 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will report on the progress of developing partnership in the tourism industry, north and south. [25660/98]
Written Answers - Tourism Development.
There is significant cross-Border co-operation and partnership at present at departmental, agency and industry level in the tourism area.
Existing contacts between my Department and the Northern Ireland Department of Economic Development relate mainly to joint administration of tourism elements of the INTERREG, Peace and Reconciliation and International Fund for Ireland programmes and the marketing of the Shannon-Erne Waterway.
Co-operation at agency level between Bord Fáilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board has existed since the 1960s and has been considerably strengthened and facilitated in recent years by the availability of financial assistance for marketing, training and product development from both the European Union and the IFI.
The overseas tourism marketing initiative, which operates on an all-island basis, brings together Bord Fáilte, NITB and industry representatives, north and south, in a £7 million EU co—funded annual consumer tourism marketing programme in the US Britain, France and Germany.
Reference to further possible co-operation in the tourism area is made under strand two of the British-Irish Agreement and progress in this area will depend on future agreements between the relevant parties.