Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Limerick City of Culture still requires an extra €400,000 of taxpayers’ money to meet a funding shortfall after a spend of almost €11 million. As the Minister stated, €7.1 million was provided by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and €3.4 million was raised through sponsorship and donations. A total of €152,000 was allocated to three projects which did not proceed and the funds were moved elsewhere. The cancelled events were among 15 listed events and were funded from an initial Department allocation of €6 million.

An unknown amount was allocated to the project The Shouting Fence and was not recouped. How much was that and was the money simply lost? Limerick City of Culture has to date refused to state how much was spent on that event. The Shouting Fence required up to 300 singers for the performance who were originally to be local volunteers. Due to insufficient numbers signing up, the decision was made to hire performers from the United Kingdom. It is understood contractual payments and a booking deposit were paid for this.

The remainder of the €152,000 was transferred to three events not originally listed on the commission strand’s 15 events for public funding, the recent Culture Night, Christmas in Limerick and Limerick Winter Carnival. The organisers have stated they received the Department’s permission to transfer the funds. Does the Minister agree that the whole debacle smacks of a total lack of co-ordination and planning and can you explain why scheduled events did not proceed? Is it sufficient to say it was simply a case of poor judgment while spending taxpayers’ money?

See this speech in context