Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 13 May 1997

Vol. 479 No. 2

Written Answers. - National Lottery Funding.

Ivor Callely

Question:

123 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the amount of national lottery funding made available to his Department for each of the years from 1994 to date in 1997; the additional programmes and developments this additional funding supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12578/97]

Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (Mr. M. Higgins)

The amount of national lottery funding made available to my Department for the years 1994-97, which is already specified in the relevant appendices of the annual volumes of the revised Estimates for Public Services, is outlined in the following Tables 1-3.

The allocations to Bord na Gaeilge provide for the administrative expenses of the board and for assistance provided by it to various organisations and projects.

Ciste na Gaeilge provides support for a number of Irish language voluntary organisations and for miscellaneous Irish language projects.

Details of grant-in-aid allocations to the national cultural institutions sourced from national lottery funds are contained in the relevant volumes of the Revised Estimates for Public Services for the relevant years. As these allocations represent the basic funding to meet the day-to-day operations of these institutions, any additional programmes and developments do not therefore arise.

The Heritage Council provides financial assistance to persons and bodies in respect of matters related to its functions and this is provided for in Subhead P2.

The National Gallery of Ireland receives a grant-in-aid from national lottery funds under Subhead B of Vote 43 in respect of acquisitions and conservation.

The national lottery funding allocated to An Chomhairle Ealaíon in the period 1994-97 has enabled An Chomhairle to develop a wide range of policies and programmes designed to provide financial assistance and other support services for individuals and organisations involved in the arts and generally to create an environment in which the arts can develop and flourish.

TABLE 1

Vote 42	1994	1995	1996	1997
	£	£	£	£
I — Bord na Gaeilge	2,103,000	2,250,000	2,500,000	2,578,000
J — Ciste na Gaeilge	2,250,000	2,834,000	2,348,000	2,425,000
C1 — Grant-in-Aid, IMMA, National Concert Hall, etc.	3,071,000	3,810,000	4,717,000	5,690,000
P2 — Grant-in-Aid Heritage Council (a)	1,550,000	1,550,000	1,800,000	2,330,000
V — National Monuments and Historic Properties	N/A	N/A	769,113	750,000
Total	8,974,000	10,444,000	12,134,113	13,773,000

(a) The non-statutory National Heritage Council was replaced by the Statutory Heritage Council in July 1995.

TABLE 2

Vote 43	1994	1995	1996	1997
	£	£	£	£
The National Gallery of Ireland	192,000	245,000	250,000	257,000

Vote 44	1994	1995	1996	1997
	£	£	£	£
An Chomhairle Ealaíon	4,988,000	3,707,000	3,970,000	4,400,000