Minister announces £5m boost for water based leisure activities

The Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister, Michael McGimpsey has announced that EU funding of £5 million is being made available for two programmes to develop angling and water based recreation projects in Northern Ireland.

The EU cash boost, which was announced on Monday, December 17, will be used for two separate programmes, the Angling Development Programme and the Water Recreation Development Programme.

Mr McGimpsey said: “This very welcome injection of funds, under the Water Based Tourism Measure of Peace II, will enable us to enhance current angling facilities, develop our inland waterways network and provide visitor amenities.

“Northern Ireland is blessed with some of the most beautiful lakes and rivers in the world and we should be making the most of them. They have enormous potential for improving the quality of our lives and making a positive contribution to the economy.”

Projects most eligible to receive funding would include development of tourist amenities at private put and take fisheries and the re-opening and updating of abandoned waterways for recreational use.

Applications for the two programmes will be considered until late in 2004 with aid being paid out up to the end of 2006. Grants would be available to both profit making and non-profit making businesses and organisations.

Application forms for the first tranche of funding are available from www.eugrants.org and the closing date for their receipt is 1 March 2002. Successful applicants will be notified early in the 2002/03 financial year. (AMcE)