I can confirm that on 27 February 1997 I approved, in principle, an offer of grant assistance to an absolute maximum sum of £650,000 towards the cost of developing the Tipperary Exel project under Phase II of the cultural development incentives scheme which I am administering under the Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99. The offer of grant assistance for this project will be confirmed as soon as a number of issues relating to the project are resolved to my Department's satisfaction, including in particular firm confirmation of the availability of all matching funds required to complete the project.