Noel Dempsey
Question:113 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht if he will consider positively the case put forward by Barrow Arts Centre in County Carlow for grant aid for its proposed centre. [8993/97]
Written Answers - Arts Funding.
An application has been received by me under Phase II of the cultural development incentives scheme 1994-99 in respect of the Barrow Arts Centre, County Carlow. I have taken decisions as to the allocation, in principle, of grant assistance to a number of the applications received under Phase II of the scheme. The application in respect of the Barrow Arts Centre project has not been successful at this stage.
However, in anticipation of the possibility that some of the applications which have received offers, in principle, of grant assistance under Phase I and II of the scheme will not go ahead within the timescale of the current round of Structural Funds, I am drawing up a stand-by list of projects that may be considered for assistance in due course on this eventuality. I hope to be in a position to make decisions on the project to be included on that list shortly.
Liam Lawlor
Question:114 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht his views on the possibility of providing capital assistance for the construction of a national opera house or the refurbishment of an existing theatre for the purpose of staging grand opera. [9060/97]
A proposal from An Chomhairle Ealaíon for the development of a national centre for the performing arts was submitted to my Department, and to a number of other Government Departments and statutory bodies, on 21 March 1997. The proposal will be given full consideration, and, in so doing, consideration will also have to be given to the arts infrastructure needs of the regions in allocating scarce capital resources. I should point out, however, that all the capital funding presently at my disposal to support the development of arts and culture infrastructure under the EU Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99 had been committed prior to the emergence of this proposal.