Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)

To finish my earlier response, the analysis of spending found that the €1 million budget had been allocated under the following strategic objectives: €191,920 to facilitate international and EU relationships and funding; €537,413 to support place-based cultural programming; and €270,668 in supports to the cultural and creative sector. Galway 2020 was delivered in the most efficient circumstances during the height of Covid-19. While this necessitated a complete re-engineering of the year, the Department is satisfied that its funding was applied appropriately.

The Deputy is right that there was an unfortunate sequence of events with weather, Covid-19 and everything else. I think the earlier part of my response, which outlined the independent evaluation and the audit trail in place for moneys expended by my Department, was clear.

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