Vol. 394 No. 4
asked the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to the public concern about the success of the City of Culture 1991 project; whether a sufficient number of private sponsors have been identified and have agreed to provide sufficient finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
9.
asked the Taoiseach the financial provisions which have been made in the present Estimates for the Dublin European Cultural Capital Committee for their preliminary work during the coming year; and the instructions or guidelines which have been given to the committee regarding the direct Government funds which will be available for the cultural capital activities.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 9 together.
Any concern about the success of the Dublin City of Culture 1991 project is unjustified. The Dublin Promotions Organisation Limited, which so successfully organised the Dublin Millennium, are charged with the same responsibility for the City of Culture programme. The Government have already allocated a sum of £250,000 to the organisation for their immediate costs. As in the case of the Dublin Millennium, it is expected that a substantial amount of commercial sponsorship will be secured for the programme.
I have informed the Dublin Promotions Organisation Limited that the level of State assistance generally for the programme will be determined in the light of the proposals formulated by them and I envisage that a number of major publicly funded projects will form part of the City of Culture programme.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that there was more advance notice for the Dublin Millennium project than there is for the City of Culture project, that the amount of money that was made available to the Dublin Promotions Organisation Limited — approximately £700,000 — is nearly three times what is available on current form to the new company and the new director, and that at this stage, having regard to the nature of the project, no commercial private sponsors have been identified because there is no programme that could be presented to them? Would he not agree that there is a need to be concerned about the success of this project because the alternative — that is, failure — will reflect very badly upon the tourism prospects for this city?
No, I do not think there is any need for alarm. The project has been entrusted to this organisation which have a good track record. A director has been appointed and seed money has been made available and we will be glad to assist in any other way possible or necessary.
Is the Taoiseach aware that for the Glasgow cultural year of 1990, the regional and district councils have made a sum of £30 million available, the local development authority have made available a sum of £7 million and there is a further £3.5 million available to the organisation, with a staff of 40? In view of those facts, irrespective of how large the manifestations are going to be in Dublin, would the Taoiseach not agree that the sum of £250,000, even as seed money for the preliminary year, is puny? In view of that would he not consider asking the Minister for Tourism and Transport to provide the unused £2 million that is being handed back now to help out in the cultural capital project?
I would regard anything in the nature of £30 million as being totally wasteful and out of the question in our circumstances. You can throw any amount of money you like at any project, but this Government have to have regard to the exigencies of the prudent management of the public finances. I am sick and tired of hearing people telling us what other cities and countries are doing.
You did it yourself for years in this House.
There are other countries much more wealthy than we are and cities which are much more wealthy than our cities, but we have to cut our cloth to our measure and do the best we can with the resources we can spare, and that is what we are doing.
I would suggest to the Taoiseach——
Will the Deputy tell me where the £300 million is to come from?
I am about to suggest a method whereby we could get things very cheap.
Do not quote silly astronomical figures at me. The Deputy knows they are not practical or realistic.
These are the actual figures; we certainly do not want our cultural year to be a flop or an embarrassment to the city rather than an advantage to it.
It is not an embarrassment to the city.
It may unless we get enough seed money in advance.
There is a great Irish habit of knocking everything in this country and in this city. Our cultural capital project is going to be a success; and stop knocking it. Be constructive for a change.
I am trying to help make it a success. I think it would be best to provide the unused money that is now being handed back.
It is very easy to get up in this House and criticise, knock and advocate the expenditure of enormous sums of money, but you will not tell me where they are to come from.
You did that for years yourself.
Question Time is becoming somewhat untidy.
The Taoiseach is becoming a bit tetchy.
Would the Taoiseach consider asking the Ministers with responsibility for culture to have a Council meeting during his Presidency here in Ireland rather than in Belgium, with a view to generating good will and getting exhibitions——
That is an extension of this question.
I am not going to spend £30 million of the taxpayers' money on this project.
A sum of £10 million from the lottery could be provided over two years.
A final question from Deputy Proinsias De Rossa.
The Deputies on that side of the House spend the resources of the national lottery one hundred times over every week in this House.
In relation to the practical implementation of the programme of the director, when was the allocation he outlined today notified to the committee? Could he indicate how that money will be drawn down? Will it be allocated in full to the committee, or will they have to seek funding from this amount from the Department as they require it, in other words, will they have to go cap in hand to his Department every time they want to spend money?
Authorisation from a HEO for every penny.
The money will be made available on the basis of a programme submitted by the director, and as required.
Could I just clarify——
Order, ar aghaidh linn anois go Ceist 10.
Could I ask——
Sorry, Deputy, I have called the next question. You will resume your seat.
With respect, a Cheann Comhairle, I would like——
The Deputy will resume his seat.
I just want to ask——
Deputy Byrne will resume his seat or leave the House.
