The Deputy will be aware that I recently launched, on behalf of the Marine Institute, an important report setting out the investment needs over the period 2000-6 of the water-based tourism and leisure sector. The report proposed an investment programme of £130 million for infrastructure, product development, marketing/awareness, training, environmental management and technical assistance. The report identifies a strategy aimed at enhancing the contribution which the water-based tourism and leisure sector could make to Ireland's economic and social welfare.
I fully endorse the strategy proposed and intend to make every endeavour to ensure that the forthcoming national development programme reflects the need to support investment in this sector. I will announce my intentions when the programme, and the sectoral allocations of funding within it, are agreed by the Government.
The Deputy will also be aware that I have recently secured Government agreement to the establishment in my Department of a new division which will be exclusively dedicated to the development of policies aimed at enhancing safety in the water-based tourism and leisure sector but also aimed at maximising the economic value, including employment, of this valuable resource based sector.
I intend to work closely with both the Marine Institute and this new division in developing imaginative new policies and approaches in this area. We will do this in partnership with local people, business interests and State bodies based on both the Marine Institute report, which I mentioned, and the institute's marine research development and innovation strategy which was endorsed by the Government in 1998. The strategy has been adopted as the authoritative way forward for the development of the marine resource. The strategy includes a section spelling out in a sustainable and balanced manner the water-based tourism and leisure sector.