The Performance Delivery Agreement (PDA) between my Department and Galway Culture Company was signed in June this year. The PDA outlines the delivery agreement for the drawdown, management and monitoring of the €1 million funding for the programme under the legacy framework. It sets out the milestones and associated key performance indicators, and subsequent quarterly financial and management reporting.
As noted in the PDA, Galway Culture Company will hold a quarterly reporting meeting with all public funders and a separate bilateral meeting with the Department on progress against milestones under this Agreement. Following the signing of the PDA, officials from my Department have met with Galway Culture Company twice in August (3rd and 22nd) and continue to be in regular contact in relation to the progression of the legacy programme. The first official quarterly meeting is due to take place in the coming weeks, with logistics currently being finalised.
In advance of the quarterly meetings, Galway Culture Company will provide the Department with a management report outlining progress on meeting agreed milestones under the key performance indicators, to include the following sections:
• overview of progress on delivery of the programme;
• updates on governance arrangements, risk management and staffing;
• budget versus expenditure;
• progress on Partnership Programmes; and
• progress in relation to monitoring and evaluation.
As is standard practice the minutes of these meetings will be officially recorded by my officials.
In relation to the drawdown of funding, Galway Culture Company has drawdown €78,476.67 to date. This allocated funding supports the three strategic objectives of the legacy programme which are:
Facilitate International and EU Relationships and Funding
Support to Place based Cultural Programming
Provision of supports to the cultural and creative sector
This initial drawdown directly supported a number of projects under each strategic category listed above. For example the Open Call Cybernate – a Digital Arts Residency Programme developed between Ireland and France and the Business and Creative Programme. It also provided for more general supports such as Irish translations, graphic design, and assisted in the Company’s fulfilment of legal and financial requirements under the PDA.
The second drawdown request was received last Friday and is currently being reviewed by Department officials in advance of processing.
The PDA monitoring and reporting requirements I have outlined ensure that my Department has the appropriate oversight of the implementation of the legacy programme and expenditure of the Government legacy programme funding allocation. My officials will continue to work closely with Galway Culture Company in this regard.
The website of Galway Culture Company provides details of the legacy programme including current and past projects and is regularly updated to highlight upcoming opportunities available to the creative and cultural sectors.
