Under my Department's arts and culture capital enhancement support scheme, ACCESS, grants totalling €45.7 million were approved, to be paid to 44 projects over the period from 2001 to 2004. Among the investments approved were large scale new infrastructural developments at regional, county or city levels, the redevelopment of existing facilities and venues, including new build, additional build or major refurbishment, and smaller scale projects at community or local level. Promoters of projects were required to demonstrate their ability to project manage and deliver their proposed developments, including the balance of funding needed to be raised by the promoters, within the time frame.
As I indicated in my reply to Question No. 379 on Tuesday, 25 March 2003, only €5.575 million had been drawn down at that date. This rate of draw-down is significantly lower than had been advised to my Department at the outset and I cannot provide any assurance that funding will be available beyond the end of 2004. In this respect, it must be remembered that the responsibility for management and control of projects approved for funding under ACCESS rests with the promoters, not my Department.
At present, the rate of progress of each ACCESS project is being reassessed to provide me with a comprehensive picture of where we are and how the position is likely to develop between now and the end of the scheme. When this assessment is completed I will consider what action to take. However, I would be less than honest if I did not say the prospect of funds becoming available for new projects is remote, given the time remaining for the completion of this scheme.