Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 Feb 1994

Vol. 438 No. 2

Written Answers. - National Lottery Funds.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

53 Ms Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the size of the allocation received by his Department from national lottery funds in 1993; the organisations to which these funds were allocated; the criteria applied in deciding which organisations were to receive funds; if there is a standard procedure through which applications are processed; if there is a standard application form available for organisations seeking grants; and, if so, is there an annual closing date for receipt of application forms.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

The allocation made from national lottery funds to my Department in 1993 was £213,000 for the promotion of cultural relations with other countries. I have made arrangements for a list of the individuals and organisations, approximately 300 in number, that received grants under this heading, to be sent directly to the Deputy. All grants were awarded on the recommendation of the cultural relations committee, a voluntary body of experts which advises me on the merits of Irish cultural projects to be presented abroad. Applications for financial assistance are considered by the committee at their meetings which are held approximately six times a year. Application forms are available from the cultural section of my Department. While there is no annual closing date for receipt of completed applications, it is requested that applications be submitted at least two months in advance of the event in question.