Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 20 Nov 1996

Vol. 471 No. 7

Written Answers. - Cork Projects Funding.

Dan Wallace

Ceist:

181 Mr. D. Wallace asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the total value of support during 1995 from his Department for projects in Cork county and city; if he will identify each such project; the level of funding allocated in respect of each such project during 1995; and if he will breakdown each value into Exchequer and EU sub-components. [21551/96]

Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (Mr. M. Higgins)

Direct Exchequer funding amounting to £360,556 was paid from my Department's Vote in respect of the following projects/schemes in Cork county and city during 1995:

(a) Gaeltacht/Irish Language Schemes	£
Gaeltacht Housing Grants	66,469
Gaeltacht Accommodation Roads	14,100
Playing Field at Cill na Martra	1,900
An Múscraíoch (local magazine)	3,250
Coiste Naomh Ciaráin (ferry service to Cléire)	47,567
Gaedhlachas Teoranta (Scoil na nÓg, Gleann Maghair)	7,354
Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge	15,350
Scheme for Irish Summer Colleges	151,627

(b) National Heritage Council projects (funded from the National Lottery for the period from 1 January 1995 to 9 July 1995)	£
University College Cork — Pilot study on effects of deforestation	8,409
Department of Archaeology, University College Cork — Quaternary Irish Fauna	10,100
Royal Gunpowder Mills, Ballincollig — Restoration	2,750
University College Cork — Establishment of National Catchment Research Study Area in the Araglin Valley	25,000
Cork Corporation — St. Mary's of the Isle Skeletal Study, Crosses Green	4,900
Drombroe Water Gardens, Drombroe House, Bantry — Trust Formation	1,700

The Heritage Council, which I appointed on 10 July 1995 under the Heritage Act, 1995, is an autonomous statutory body which has power to provide assistance (including financial assistance) and advice to persons and bodies in matters relating to its functions. A detailed list of any grants approved or paid by the statutory Heritage Council in 1995 will be published it its annual report for that year.

In 1995, funding in relation to the Heritage Service, which transferred to my Department earlier this year, was channelled through the Vote of the Office of Public Works. For the Deputy's information, a sum in excess of £400,000 was expended on projects in Cork city and county from that Vote in 1995, principally in respect of National Monuments and Heritage Properties projects at the following locations: Charles Fort, Kinsale; Knockdrum; Labbamolaga; French Prison, Kinsale; Barryscourt Castle and Ilnacullin (Garnish Island).

The figures which I have provided above do not take account of moneys expended or approved directly by bodies under the aegis of my Department such as An Chomhairle Ealaíon/The Arts Council or Bord Scannán na hÉireann/The Irish Film Board during the period in question.

I should point out to the Deputy that in addition to the direct expenditure to which I have referred, significant allocations have been approved by me, but not yet expended, for projects in Cork city and county. In regard to arts and culture projects, a number of significant projects amounting to some £3.3 million have been approved by me under the EU Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99 as follows: Crawford Municipal Gallery of Art, £1,800,000; Cork Public Museum, £900,000; Cork Opera House, £375,000; Everyman Palace Theatre, £350,000; Briary Gap Theatre, Macroom, £150,000 and Kino Arthouse Cinema, £100,000.

In the Heritage area, significant projects amounting to £2.25 million have been approved by me under the terms of the EU Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99 as follows: Lough Hyne Marine Reserve, £500,000; Glengarriff Wood, £400,000; Doneraile Forest Park, £350,000; Charles Fort, £500,000 and Barryscourt Castle, £500,000.

Projects approved under the EU Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-99 will involve a mixture of Exchequer and EU funding but I regret that it is not possible to give a comprehensive breakdown in this regard at present.