Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 39: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the supports in place to encourage the development of agritourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19639/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department manages the Leader elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 and the process of selecting the Local Action Groups for the delivery of these elements is currently underway. The Programme, through which €425m will be made available to improve the quality of life in rural areas and to encourage diversification of the rural economy, provides for funding of agritourism activities under the following measures:

Diversification into non-agricultural activities for farm families. Funding will be available, inter alia, for the renovation of farm buildings for tourism purposes and the provision of facilities for walking, cycling, angling and pony trekking. Funding will also be available under this measure for the development of niche tourism and educational services such as arts and crafts, speciality food provision and open farms. Funding of €16.6m will be available under this measure.

Encouragement of tourism activities. Funding will be available for the analysis and provision of infrastructural needs for tourism, the maintenance of vernacular features such as disused railway lines, canal towpaths, &c., the development of the use of forests for tourism and recreation and the development of niche tourism such as arts and crafts, ecotourism, genealogy and archaeology. Funding of €45.4m will be available under this measure.

In addition the Rural Development Fund, which is operated through my Department, provides finance for policy-oriented research, evaluations and pilot actions in rural development and is currently providing assistance to a number of tourism related initiatives.