Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The reduction takes account of the reallocation of the budget. Those projects that we expect will require funding this year under the swimming pool programme will get it. Some are delayed for various reasons to do with the local authorities themselves. Our best estimate is that the money I have provided in the portfolio is more than enough to meet the requirements for this year.

On the issue of cultural tourism, I took the view - with which I thought the Deputy would agree - that it was important to maintain jobs. Large numbers of facilities such as small theatres have been opened across the country, many of them in conjunction with local authorities, and I wanted to make sure we did not see some of these closing down through lack of funding. Thus, I tried to maintain the funding on the current side to keep these attractions open, and I decided that if there were to be reductions they should be on the capital side in the short term. That is not to say we would not like to do more. It is an important area. The view of people I have spoken to in different parts of the country was that they did not want to see this substantial range of new small facilities shut down. That was the option that was chosen.

The Department has had to take its fair share of the pain, like anywhere else, but it is proportionate. It has been recognised by the arts, sport and tourism sectors that the measures have not been excessive, as they have been at certain times in the past. We have tried to manage the process in as fair and balanced a way as possible. I cannot off the top of my head say what projects are being carried out by Fáilte Ireland, or where its processes are, but it will still be funding major capital projects this year, some of which were only announced in the recent past. Some are going through the process of approval and vetting at present and there is money there to do this.

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