Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 53: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of applications for funding from his Department or from agencies within the remit of his Department towards initiation of rural community-based tourism attractions in each of the past five years to date in 2008; the funding involved; his plans to increase the funding or change the guidelines in relation to such grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24961/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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There is no formal scheme of the nature implied by the Deputy's question in operation either within my Department or by any agency within its remit. We do however consider proposals for rural based tourism/rural recreation from time to time. For example my Department has recently launched a Walks Maintenance Scheme which is in the process of being rolled out to four pilot areas at present and has provided funding to pilot projects such as Galway East Tourism Marketing Ltd which is a community based tourism company whose mission is to implement an integrated marketing strategy for the Galway East Region.

Funding for rural tourism activities is also provided under the LEADER Programmes managed by my Department and are implemented by Local Action Groups. In line with the bottom-up philosophy of rural development the Local Action Group is the decision-making authority in respect of all actions falling within its business plan. In this context, all applications for grant assistance are received and processed directly by the Local Action Groups. Consequently, my Department has no decision-making role in respect of applications made under the Programmes.

The application process to select Local Acton Groups to deliver the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 is currently under way and once this is completed funding under the programme will be available to all rural communities and will include funding of €45.40m for the encouragement of tourism activities over the lifetime of the Programme. Information on projects assisted by Údarás na Gaeltachta and the Western development Commission can be obtained from their websites www.udaras.ie. and www.wdc.ie or from their Annual Report and Accounts which are required to be laid before each of the House of the Oireachtas.