Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 March 2014
139. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding sources that have been investigated to allow grant-aiding of commemorative initiatives, local and national as part of the decade of centenaries 2013-23. [12540/14]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, under the Capital Stimulus Package announced in the Budget, funding of €6m was provided for 2014 in respect of the 1916 Commemorations Programme. A number of projects come under the scope of this programme,including Kilmainham Courthouse, the GPO visitor facility, the Military Service Pension Archive and Pearse's Cottage in Ros Muc. Work on these projects is continuing to be actively progressed to ensure timely completion for 2016. My Department is also working closely with a range of other Departments and bodies, including the national cultural institutions, in the context of their capacity to afford special consideration to centenary commemorative projects. I am encouraged by the positive response that has been forthcoming, despite the unavoidable reductions of recent years in public expenditure allocations, and I will be continuing to work with these bodies, and with my colleagues in Government, to ensure that sufficient resources are made available to ensure a successful commemorative programme over the coming years.
