Under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, £20 million has been allocated to marine tourism, and targeted particularly at improving marine access infrastructure such as marinas, berths and slipways. The scheme will be part of the two regional operational programmes and funding of £14 million has been allocated to the Border, midlands and western region and £6 million to the south and east region.
The marine tourism grants scheme is one of five sub-measures of the overall tourism measure of the national development plan and is currently being prepared by my Department in consultation with the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation which has responsibility for the implementation of the overall measure. I understand that the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation is working with the European Commission in Brussels to finalise EU approval for certain aspects of the overall NDP tourism measure. It is my intention that the marine tourism grant scheme will be launched by my Department as soon as this approval has been received.