Euro funding approved for international holiday village
8 May 1996
KENNY DELIVERS £3.9m CASTLEBAR TOURISM PROJECT
By TOM GILLESPIE
THE Minister for Tourism and Trade, Mr. Enda Kenny has announced details of EU grant aid towards the development of a weather independent/stand-alone integrated International Holiday Village in Castlebar.
TOTAL investment will be in excess of £3.9 million and according to Minister Kenny the development at Lough Lannagh would be a unique, new and a distinctive tourism concept for Castlebar.
WITH access through Creagh Villa the village will comprise of 11 cottages with 36 bedroom-bathrooms en-suite, a visitor centre, a holiday hostel, luxury touring caravan park, leisure centre, a traditional barn as a rural conference/exhibition area and outdoor visitor facilities based on planned developments around Lough Lannagh. Members of Castlebar Urban Council have given their full backing to the development which will take twelve months to complete. Based on market research the Holiday Village could attract up to 20,000 visitors within three years with 80 per cent of them coming from out-of-State.
Minister Kenny said a European Regional Development Fund grant of £2,943,400 had been approved which would cover 75 per cent of the development. The additional 25 per cent would have to be raised locally.
Minister Kenny said: "This is an important project and will provide a quality weather independent facility with both indoor facilities and outdoor activities such as walking cycling, angling and water sports.
"The village will provide a unique rural accommodation base centred in between some of Ireland's best and most spectacular sites and visitor attractions.
"The product mix will enable the developer to capitalise on the overseas tourism demand for activity and special interest holidays." Minister Kenny added: "Castlebar can now turn its face on Lough Lannagh and make use of this fine amenity which will generate great tourism potential for the area."
He said there was a total eligible cost here of £3.9 m and the grant was £2.7m.
Minister Kenny stressed: "The remainder has to be raised locally. That is going to be a challenge but that should be well within the capacity of the people of the town to do that. It is a huge investment in the provision of this facility."
Senator Paddy Burke said the provision of the International Holiday Village would give Castlebar the opportunity to develop as a major West coast tourism attraction.
"This is a golden opportunity for Castlebar to become one of the top visitor attractions in this region."
Senator Burke said the project was the latest to be approved by the Product Development Management Board, Bord Failte area, under the Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-1999.
Senator Burke congratulated Minister Kenny for his commitment, total backing and vision. He said he had shown total support towards the Holiday Village project. It was one which would transform the Castlebar area as the hub for tourism within the county.
Senator Burke, who is a member of Castlebar Urban Council added: "This is the biggest project ever undertaken by Castlebar UDC. I welcome the announcement by the Minister.
"This is now a major challenge put to the people of Castlebar to rise to the challenge of raising the necessary local contribution and to make this dream become a reality and put Castlebar on the tourism map.
"I expect that work on the development will get underway in the very near
future."
Connaught Telegraph - News - May 1996
Connaught Telegraph - Sports - May 1996
