asked the Minister for Finance if he will endeavour to broaden the area of expenditure for the Border counties fund to include recreational facilities such as community centres, running tracks etc. in view of the growing importance of these amenities.

The main objective of the special Border areas programme is the development of the tourism potential of the Border counties. The recreational facilities to which the Deputy refers would be eligible under the special programme if they contributed to that objective. Any proposals for the provision of such facilities would, therefore, be considered in that context.

This is a very important question in the Border counties. It is a matter of flexibility and interpretation of the regulations which apply in this case. It may be difficult to establish a link between recreational facilities and tourism but would the Minister consider extending assistance, which would be forthcoming under the Border counties fund, to voluntary organisations to help provide recreational facilities?

As I said, the objective of the special Border areas programme is the development of tourism potential in the Border counties and that is why it was set up in the first place. If it can be shown that recreational facilities of the kind he has in mind would assist in the development of tourism potential, they would certainly be considered in that context within the provisions of the special fund.