A new tax relief scheme for certain tourism facilities in counties Roscommon, Galway, Clare, Tipperary, Offaly, and Westmeath was launched last Friday by the Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD. The scheme covers an area of the Shannon as far north as Ballyleague, but anger has been expressed this week over the exclusion of areas such as Tarmonbarry and Rooskey in north Roscommon. The Scheme is being managed by Fáilte Ireland and Shannon Development. Projects eligible under the new scheme include education tourism facilities, visitor attractions, cultural facilities, wellness and self development facilities and amenities, facilities for water-sports activities, outdoor activity centres, equestrian facilities, certain restaurants and cafés, boat rental and inland cruising facilities, training facilities for adventure centres and registered holiday camps. They can be new projects or refurbishment to existing ones. Relief is available by way of capital allowances over seven years for qualifying construction and refurbishment expenditure. Capital allowance will be granted at a rate of 15 percent per year for the first six years and ten percent for the seventh year. The qualifying period of the scheme is three years, but applications must be made within one year of the start of the Scheme. During the launch event, the Taoiseach announced a new Board to assess projects submitted under the new Scheme. The Board comprises Galway financier Tom Hyland as chairman, Dublin-based financier Frank Hussey, Paul Keeley of Fáilte Ireland and John King and Joan Reynolds, both of Shannon Development. Meanwhile Roscommon Independent Councillor Tom Crosby and Member of the Board of Fáilte Ireland West is extremely disappointed at the exclusion of the North Shannon Region from the Mid-Shannon Corridor Tourism Infrastructure Investment Scheme which was announced by the Taoiseach Brian Cowen in Birr last week. Cllr. Crosby said that the scheme will be of major benefit for all centres south of Ballyleague/Lanesboro and will create a huge imbalance of tourism growth and attractions on the River Shannon, only benefiting places on the Shannon such as Lecarrow, Hodson Bay, Athlone and right through Co. Offaly. Cllr. Crosby said that this scheme should benefit the entire River Shannon as was outlined in a submission initiated through Fáilte Ireland by Cllr. Crosby and his colleague Tommy Greally, Abbey Hotel,who are the two representatives on the Board of Fáilte Ireland West. Serious imbalance The submission, which was drafted by the County Enterprise Section of Roscommon County Council and submitted last December, made a very strong case highlighting the serious imbalance of tourist infrastructural attractions in the North Shannon region and to leave this region out of the proposed Tourist Investment Scheme would have very serious consequences and would further draw tourism activity and employment away from areas such as Ballyleague/Lanesboro, Tarmonbarry/Clondra, Rooskey/Kilglass, Dromod and right down through Leitrim and Lough Key Forest Park. Cllr. Crosby states the only obvious explanation for excluding the most needy section of the River Shannon in the North is the clear power base that exists in the mid region of the River Shannon where the Taoiseach himself has his base. ‘Minister Brian Lenihan also has roots in that area along with Mary O’Rourke TD and the new Minister from South Roscommon Michael Finneran, all within a few miles of each other in the area that will now benefit from this major tourist investment scheme. ‘Further evidence of this power base was the announcement last week that the former Glanbia Plant in Edenderry which burnt down by a fire over a year ago, is now going to be fully rebuilt, securing hundreds of jobs in Edenderry at the loss to the Rooskey Glanbia plant in our region which gave hundreds of families employment over many generations was closed completely also as a result of fire, with no replacement industry for this region. ‘As an Independent councillor for this region, I am calling on all public representatives, especially the Government Party Oireachtas representatives and county councillors representing Roscommon, Leitrim and Longford to launch a major lobby and have the entire Shannon River corridor included in this tourist incentive scheme, highlighting the serious consequences for the Northern Region that would result in a totally unfair situation with the loss of major opportunities of employment where it is most needed.’
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