Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes. She was director of services in Galway City Council. She stated in a press release issued today that she is very excited about working with Galway 2020, a project which has been close to her heart, and she looks forward to working with the team to make it an exceptional year for County Galway and the council.

To answer the Deputy's specific questions, the performance delivery agreement is being drawn up by the Department in consultation with Galway 2020. The resignations that occurred slowed down the process. I, as Minister, expressed my concern to Aideen McGinley when she came in and she accepts that this has to be expedited. The delivery agreement sets out the respective roles and responsibilities of the Department in the provision and expenditure of the grant, key deliverables, performance indicators, the drawdown of the grant and the monitoring and reporting arrangements to be put in place. As we move into the delivery phase, Galway 2020 is signing contracts with organisations, artists and performers and it is expected that it will announce many of the contracted performances under the programme in a showcase event in November. With regard to funding, as I stated, the Department provided a first tranche of €250,000 in December 2017 towards certified expenditure already incurred for Galway 2020.

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