Festivals to get €20m funding boost

Some €20m is to be invested in festivals around the country this year.

As the AOIFE yearbook 2007 listing Ireland’s festival and event season is launched, organisers said the extra funding would generate €300m for the economy.

Four hundred festivals are planned north and south of the border this year pulling in eight million visitors, mostly from overseas.

Included this year is the World Rally Championship planned for the border counties in the north-west in November and year-long events marking the 400th anniversary of the Flight of the Earls.

The British and Irish Governments are committing over €13m to events while local authorities will spend over €7m.