Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The capital expenditure allocation to the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism in 2008 was €276.87 million. In addition, there was a deferred surrender amount of €25.181 million which was carried over from 2007, giving a total of €302.051 million available to the Department in 2008.

In July 2008, some €3.9 million of the capital allocation was surrendered as part of savings required by the Government. These savings are being made in the programmes for cultural projects and in the allocation to Fáilte Ireland in respect of tourism product development. The net result of these changes is to reduce the 2008 capital allocation to €272.97 million in addition to the deferred surrender amount, giving a total of €298.151 million for 2008.

This amount, which includes the capital carryover from 2007, is distributed among the various programmes as follows: €116 million to the Lansdowne Road stadium project; €58 million in respect of grants to sporting organisations and the provision of sports and recreational facilities; €37 million to cultural infrastructure; €20 million for grants under the local authority swimming pool programme; €20 million to the Irish Film Board; €16 million to Fáilte Ireland, of which €15 million is in respect of tourism product development; €4 million to the national sports campus; €8 million to Horse Racing Ireland; €2 million to Bord na gCon; €5 million to the Arts Council; €5 million to the National Museum; €2 million to the National Library; and €4 million for a range of programme areas, including the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Chester Beatty Library, National Concert Hall, Crawford Art Gallery, National Archives and dormant accounts funding to support sport in disadvantaged areas.

At the end of September 2008, a total of €192.32 million had been expended. This amounts to 65% of the revised allocation for 2008. I expect the entire 2008 capital budget to be expended by the year end.

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