Michael Ring
Question:249 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the funding, if any, spent on, or allocated to, projects in County Mayo from her Department for the past three years. [9725/98]
Written Answers - Grant Payments.
Funding in excess of £4 million was paid directly by my Department (or, in a number of cases, through the Vote of the Office of Public Works) in respect of projects/schemes in County Mayo during 1995, 1996 and 1997. Calculations are based on projects where the grant-allocation exceeded £10,000 or thereabouts with the exception of Gaeltacht housing grants, scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge and scéim labhairt na Gaeilge, where the figures represent the total expenditure under those schemes in County Mayo for the years in question.
The figures provided do not take account of moneys expended or approved directly by other bodies under the aegis of my Department such as An Chomhairle Ealaíon, An Chomhairle Oidhreachta, Bord Scannán na hÉireann, Bord na Gaeilge during the period in question. Details of grants awarded by such bodies and, in some cases, the location of specific projects funded, are available in their annual reports.
National Monuments & Historic Properties
|
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
|
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
Clare Island Abbey Wall Painting Conservation |
40,090* |
18,455* |
40,655 |
|
Céide Fields Visitor Centre |
376,951* |
* Channelled through the Vote of the Office of Public Works in 1995 and partly in 1996.
National Parks & Wildlife Service Mayo National Park
The following amounts were spent on land acquisition for the proposed Mayo National Park during the past three years.
|
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
1,593,284* |
NIL |
1,406,570 |
* Channelled through the Vote of the Office of Public Works in 1995 and partly in 1996.
As explained in my reply to today's Questions Nos. 236-238 from the Deputy, an amount of £2,000,000 was allocated under the Tourism Operational Programme 1994/1999 (ERDF), for the provision of visitor facilities for the proposed Mayo National Park. Following a mid term review in October 1997 this amount was decommitted. A total of £143,969 had been spent from this allocation prior to the withdrawal of the funds.
Cultural Institutions Turlough Park House, Castlebar
Five million pounds in co-financed European Regional Development Fund funds under the auspices of the Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99 has been allocated towards the development of a facility for the proper display and appreciation of the folklife collection of the National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park House, Castlebar. The project is being developed in conjunction with Mayo County Council with work envisaged to be completed by end 1999.
Two projects in County Mayo have been offered grant assistance under this Department's cultural development incentives scheme (CDIS), which is funded from the Operational Programme for Tourism. These are the development of arts facilities at the Custom House, Westport and the Michael Davitt Museum, at Straide. The grants offered are £140,000 and £200,000 respectively.
Gaeltacht Improvement Schemes
|
Project |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
Dubh Thuama/Doire Choirib Group Water Scheme |
16,275 |
||
|
Dubh Thuama Marine Works |
10,666 |
||
|
Ionad Oidhreachta na hEachléime |
12,500 |
26,500 |
|
|
Cill Damhnait Pier |
9,265 |
||
|
Gaeltacht Road Grants |
44,300 |
66,000 |
Other Gaeltacht Schemes
|
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
|
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
Gaeltacht Housing Grants |
128,740 |
164,055 |
105,206 |
|
Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge |
64,502 |
70,791 |
80,184 |
|
Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge |
28,400 |
20,050 |
8,900 |
Islands*
|
Project |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
Clare Island — improvement works at Roonagh Pier |
50,000 |
||
|
Clynish — water supply |
10,000 |
* This expenditure dates from June 1997 onwards when responsibility for the islands was transferred from Roinn an Taoisigh to this Department.
Michael Creed
Question:240 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if she has received an application for a Gaeltacht house improvement grant from a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and the position regarding this application. [9726/98]
Since this question, which specifically relates to matters regarding a Gaeltacht scheme, is being put to me in English, I am answering it in English even though I have stated that it is my policy to answer all such representations and parliamentary questions in the Irish Language.
There is no record in my Department of an application for assistance under the Housing (Gaeltacht) Acts from the specific person referred to by the Deputy. However, an application for assistance under those Acts was received from a person with a similar name and address on 20 April 1998. As the application form was not fully completed, it was returned to the applicant for completion.
On receipt of the completed form, the application will be processed as quickly as possible.