Vol. 471 No. 4
21 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the progress, if any, he has made regarding the provision of funding for the Arts and Culture Centre at the Blanchardstown Town Centre site, Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21109/96]
In June last I approved, in principle, an offer of grant assistance to an absolute maximum of £1.1 million towards the cost of developing the proposed arts centre at Blanchardstown. This project is still at an early planning stage and since I made the offer of funding, discussions to advance the development of the centre have been ongoing between officials of my Department and representatives of Blanchardstown Arts Centre Committee, to whom the offer of grant assistance was made, and Fingal County Council. Subject to satisfactory compliance with the terms of the cultural development incentives scheme to enable me to release the funds earmarked for the project, I expect that construction work will commerce in mid-1997.
Will the Minister confirm the extent to which approval for the project will depend on the adoption of Fingal County Council's 1997 estimates? Will he clarify what is expected of the other parties involved to ensure the £1.2 million is made available and work will commence as proposed by the Minister?
I appreciate the Deputy's interest in the matter and I am anxious to give him as much information as possible, but some aspects of the matter are more appropriate for the Blanchardstown Arts Centre Committee. The total cost of the project will be £1.640 million. A total of £1.1 million has been offered by way of grant and 30 per cent is required in matching finance. This means Blanchardstown Arts Centre Committee must raise £471,428 towards the cost of developing the project. Green Property Company Limited, the developers of Blanchardstown Shopping Centre where the arts centre will be located, is committed to providing £200,000 and as recently as 23 October the Department received confirmation that Fingal County Council will provide £160,000. That leaves a balance of £110,000 to be raised in local contributions. We are awaiting a reply to our communication in August 1966 to Blanchardstown Arts Centre Committee. That committee and Fingal County Council will have the utmost co-operation from officials in my Department in advancing the scheme.
Does the Minister accept the importance of such a facility to the young population in a fledgling satellite town with a population in excess of 60,000? I appreciate the generous commitment to the project and will endeavour to ascertain the efforts of Blanchardstown Arts Centre Committee to raise £110,000. I hope we can advance the project to tendering stage in 1997. I appreciate the Minister's support to date for the project.
Officials of the Blanchardstown Arts Centre Committee told us they are in the process of setting up a corporate body to deal with the project. We will ensure there is no delay in setting up the project. Having regard to the way matters have advanced, a mid 1997 date for tendering is not unrealistic.
