Vol. 462 No. 5
117 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the number of applications received from the Dublin area for major arts and cultural projects; when he will be expending the first tranche of funds; the special attention, if any, he intends to give to the Dublin Corporation/Hugh Lane Gallery proposal for an extension to the gallery and the development of a community arts centre for the north city. [4818/96]
Of the 170 applications for funding which I received under the cultural development incentives scheme, which I am administering under the Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99, a total of 27 were from Dublin city and county.
With regard to the expenditure of the first tranche of funds under the scheme, I announced details on 27 February 1996 of my decision to approve, in principle, the funding of the first eight arts and cultural capital projects under the scheme. The projects which I have approved in principle will involve investments of £8 million and, subject to satisfactory resolution of outstanding issues with the applicants, grant offers totalling just over £5.5 million in EU and Exchequer funding towards these projects will be made.
With regard to the application from Dublin Corporation for the development of the old National Ballroom building and the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery in Parnell Square, I wish to assure the Deputy that this application will receive the same level of detailed assessment and evaluation as all the other applications received by me. I expect to be in a position to announce my decisions on further applications received under the cultural development incentives scheme in May.
