Michael Ring
Question:225 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the moneys, if any, there are in the current budget for Turlough House and Park, Castlebar, County Mayo. [16885/97]
Written Answers. - Departmental Funding.
As the Deputy is aware, a sum of £5 million was earmarked from funds available for cultural tourism purposes under the EU Structural Funds assisted Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99, with the necessary funds being channelled through the Vote of the Office of Public Works, in the years in which expenditure is incurred, towards the development of the Turlough Park facility, to house the folklife collection of the National Museum of Ireland, a project to which Mayo County Council has also made a significant commitment. However, the detailed operational aspects of the Castlebar facility have yet to be finalised. Any charge on current expenditure, as distinct from the capital expenditure referred to above, would arise only on completion of the overall project and accordingly would not be necessary to be provided for in 1997. Details of requirements for this facility are being further examined by a firm of museum consultants as part of overall functional and exhibition briefs being prepared for the development of the National Museum at all of its locations, and the cost of this is provided for in the museum's current budget.