Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his changes for the provision of grant assistance to the farming community to refurbish old farm buildings into tourist attractions; the meetings he has had with interested groups in relation to the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9063/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Funding was available under the Area Based Rural Development Initiative for the 2000-06 round of structural funding for the development of tourist attractions in rural areas and the conversion of farm buildings into tourist accommodation.

The draft of the Rural Development Programme 2007-13 for Ireland is currently with the European Commission. This new Programme will provide a significant boost to the development of the rural/agri-tourism sector. A public consultation on the content of the draft Rural Development Programme took place in two stages in 2006 before the final draft was sent to the European Commission.

Officials from my Department are preparing draft Operating Rules for the new Programme and as part of this process a full review of grant assistance is being undertaken.