MILLIONS OF EURO in funding has been planned for the Gathering 2013 – and there is even more to come.

That’s according to Fine Gael Mayo Deputy Michelle Mulherin, who said that additional funding to the €5 million already planned is to be made available for supporting local and community events, which is great news as it will help people in planning activities.

The Gathering 2013 is the biggest tourism initiative ever undertaken in the State .

Deputy Mulherin noted:

In response to a Parliamentary Question I submitted to the Minister for Tourism, Leo Varadkar TD, regarding whether additional funding for The Gathering events is to be made available in the future, I have been assured that a small amount of additional funding will be on offer in the future so that local and county groups can be facilitated in their efforts.

She added that she has been contacted by many individuals and groups interested in putting on events and looking for some financial assistance.

“Further enquiries have been made to Fáilte Ireland to see if additional funds can be brought on stream from alternative sources and I have been told that details of this are being worked out at present and will be announced shortly,” said Deputy Mulherin.

The target for the Gathering is to attract 300,000 additional visitors to Ireland in 2013 and is a further sign of the Government’s commitment to the tourism industry, said the Deputy.

To-date, a budget of €5 million has been allocated to The Gathering 2013 in direct funding from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and news that some more funding, no matter how small or large, will assist local organisers in planning and preparations.

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