John Browne
Question:16 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the plans she has to encourage appreciation of art in rural areas by providing arts centres. [6422/02]
Other Questions. - Rural Arts Centres.
The arts and culture enhancement support scheme, ACCESS, which I announced in August 2001, provides funding of €45.71 million from 2001 to 2004 to 44 projects, chosen to maximise access for people throughout the country to adequate venues for the creation, expression and appreciation of arts and culture, including our heritage. The scheme is designed to lead to an increased participation in the arts, with facilities and activities being provided on as broad a geographic basis as possible. The programme has three distinct strands, as follows: new facilities at regional, county and city level; the redevelopment of existing arts and cultural facilities and venues, including new buildings, additional buildings or major refurbishment; and smaller community based projects. A total of 180 applications were received seeking almost £224 million or €284.42 million in grant aid.
ACCESS will build on the success of the cultural development incentive scheme, CDIS, which was the responsibility of my Department and operated from 1994 to 2000. The CDIS was funded in part by the Operational Programme for Tourism, 1994-99. A total of 37 projects were offered grants under the scheme.
In the light of the fact that EU funding was no longer available for arts infrastructural projects of this nature, I was particularly pleased to be able to ensure Exchequer funding of €45.7 million for the ACCESS scheme.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): I thank the Minister for that outline. Will she give us a breakdown of the 44 projects? Which were major projects, which were minor, which involved refurbishmens and so on? I am grateful to her for the award of €2.5 million to the centre for contemporary art in Carlow. However, €4 million is needed. I presume that when my party is in power it will fill the gap. What about the running costs of these centres? I appreciate the fact that they will be scattered throughout the country, but where will the main ones be located?
I thank the Deputy for his acknowledgement of the major funding to his constituency. It funding was given because the project is an excellent one. I wish everyone involved well. I have a long list of projects with which I can furnish the Deputy later or which I can read now.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): I will accept them later.
A number of criteria had to be fulfilled by the successful proposals. Among them were financial viability, long-term viability, concrete local support, provision of a range of facilities, distinct arts and cultural aspect, capacity to deliver a quality project, creation of direct and indirect employment, legal capacity, standard of infrastructure and equitable geographic spread. The application form was comprehensive and, at times, quite difficult. The assessment by the independent body was based on these criteria.
I believe projects in 23 of the 26 counties received funding under the scheme. The award of funding was based, not only on what could be done with the capital funding, but also on the understanding that local authorities supported the applications. Projects which had local authority support were strengthened by this.
The scheme grants funding for capital expenditure. It does not fund running costs. Long-term viability is an important criterion for funding and successful projects had to be able to prove this. That is the reason is was important for them to have the backing of their local authorities because they are best placed to judge the viability of the projects. The venues having received capital funding, it is now up to the local authorities and local communities to see that the projects work.
What is the geographic spread of the successful projects? Am I correct in saying that few of them are north of a line from Dublin to Galway.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): The Minister has said funding is allocated for capital expenditure. The centre for contemporary art in Carlow, for example, will be a major project and even with the support of the local authority its running costs will be high. Another scheme may be required to support its running costs.
The Department has no scheme for running costs. There would not have been a scheme for capital costs if I had not made the case for it to the Minister for Finance, who has supported me completely and made the funding available. That money has ensured 44 projects throughout the country will be able to facilitate their communities. Running costs will be the responsibility of the projects.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): The National Gallery of Ireland receives ongoing funding.
We are talking about two very different things. The National Gallery is a national cultural insitutition. The projects we are discussing are regional and local which would not have been able to get off the ground at all were it not for the capital investment my Department has provided through the ACCESS fund. Everyone knew from the beginning that the fund provided resources for capital expenditure and that running costs would be the responsibility of projects.
I can give Deputy McGinley the list of the 44 projects. I did my very best to ensure a fair distribution. The whole purpose of having such a scheme is to ensure there is access and participation in the arts. The only way to do this is to ensure these venues are provided in local areas. Some venues are regional and some are small local projects. The independent process assessed all the projects and on foot of that information I did my best to fund as many as I could. I believe 23 of the 26 counties were able to avail of the ACCESS grant.