Brian Walsh (Galway West, Fine Gael)

Seo é an chéad ócáid dom cupla focal a rá sa Dáil nua agus sa Teach stairiúil, tábhachtach seo. Tá mé thar a bheith bródúil a bheith anseo mar Teachta Dála nua ar son muintir na Gaillimhe agus ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le chuile duine a thug cabhair agus tacaíocht dom i rith an olltoghcháin, go mór mór mo chlann, muintir na Gaillimhe agus mo chairde.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter and I think the Minister of State for attending. I refer to the funding for the only national Irish language theatre in the country, Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe, which has been displaced since its premises were badly damaged by fire in 2007. Plans for the restoration of this historic building were prepared some time ago. A commitment was made by the previous Government that it would match a contribution of €300,000 provided by Galway City Council and the theatre company. The contribution by Galway City Council was made conditional on the provision of equal funding by the Government. That funding never materialised and, as a result, the only Irish language theatre in the country remains idle to this day. That Government left office without fulfilling the commitment it made on the project. That broken promise can be counted among the litany of broken promises on which that Administration has already been judged by the electorate.

It is a shame that the landmark theatre, which has been an epicentre of culture and the arts both locally and nationally for more than 80 years, has been allowed to remain derelict since 2007. Its board has been gallant in its efforts to continue staging productions at other locations since then, but it has done so at considerable cost at a time when it is striving to raise funds to assist it to return to its rightful base.

Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe has a rich history as the national Irish language theatre and since 1928 has showcased, nurtured and helped develop the talents of many legendary names of Irish screen and stage. It was there that the curtains were first raised on the illustrious careers of Walter Macken, Siobhan McKenna and Máirtín Ó Direáin and where the likes of Sean McClory and others tread the boards before they took their first steps on their way to greater achievement. It was there, too, that actor Mick Lally first came to prominence. His sad passing last year was marked with warm tributes from Members of this House, rightly so. There could be no more fitting tribute to him, with the first anniversary of his death approaching, than for provision to be made to secure the future of the theatre to which he owed some of his success and through which he gave so much enjoyment to many people not just in Galway but across the country.

Questions have been asked in recent times about my party's policy on the national language. I can think of no clearer signal to demonstrate our commitment to Irish as a vibrant, living language than to support the national Irish language theatre in its efforts to return to its traditional home. The Irish language has been independently calculated to be worth more than €136 million to the local economy in Galway and supports more than 5,000 jobs in the area. Galway is a thriving centre of excellence for the arts, music, theatre, literature and language. The Irish language is a unique selling point in Galway's image and cultural identity, and failure to support it would ultimately be counterproductive from the perspective of Exchequer finances. In the current economic climate, we must look towards our strengths in order to emerge from the economic crisis. Among the strengths we possess are the arts, culture and tourism. Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe plays an important role in all three areas. It is with a sense of urgency that I ask the Minister to provide the necessary funding for the restoration and renovation of the theatre. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to make a statement.

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