Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is an ambitious plan in place to do a job on the Briery Gap theatre, which will cost up to €4 million. It has been a big loss in Macroom over the last three years since it was lost in a fire. The council already has its own funding of over €1 million in insurance money, but only 6% of the cost is being put forward by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, or by any State agency beyond that. Has any discussion taken place between the Minister and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to fund the scheme up to now, beyond the scheme having now opened? The question is fairly specific. To what extent, if any, have the two Departments discussed this up to now? The talk locally is that this scheme is the only show in town for funding, as the arts funding only amounts to €200,000 or €300,000. Is some commitment already in place to fund this through the Minister's Department, or have any discussions taken place?

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