Dáil debates
Tuesday, 22 March 2005
Priority Questions.
Performing Arts.
3:00 pm
Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 6: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will make a statement on the Ballybunion cultural village project. [9512/05]
John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I presume the Deputy is referring to the Tinteán Theatre, Ballybunion, which was awarded grant support totalling â¬825,235 by my Department in 2001.
To satisfy the conditions attaching to the grant, the promoters were required to provide evidence that the balance of the capital funding required to complete the project and bring it to operational status was available. That was done in 2002, when confirmation was received that the total project cost would be approximately â¬2,500,000, to be financed by a contribution of approximately â¬1,500,000 from the promoters, borrowings of â¬200,000, and my Department's grant of â¬825,000. The position was further assessed in 2003, and although costs had risen to approximately â¬3 million, the continued availability of the necessary finance was confirmed.
At this point the project financing comprises a contribution from the promoters in the region of â¬1.2 million, borrowings of â¬1 million, my Department's grant of â¬825,000 and â¬60,000 from Kerry County Enterprise Board. The aim of the project submitted for funding, which I understand represents phase 1 of a planned larger development, is to provide a 250-seat contemporary Irish dance theatre in Ballybunion for the development of contemporary Irish dance. The proposal also entails the provision of space for performance, training, administrative and teaching facilities.
Some â¬675,000 of the total grant of â¬825,000 has been drawn down, and as yet there has been no information from the promoters on when they envisage the draw-down of the balance of the funding.
Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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The project is of great importance to the entire community in the Ballybunion area of north Kerry, and there are currently outstanding debts of approximately â¬750,000. I am told there have been various grants from Departments but that the respective sums of â¬709,000 and â¬120,000 have yet to be drawn down. Does the Minister accept that completion of the Tinteán Theatre is dependent on all outstanding grants being delivered? Does he agree that the construction, which is phase 2 of a cultural village, will benefit the Tinteán project itself and the Ballybunion area, both economically and from a tourism perspective?
John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I accept the facility will be of enormous benefit to the entire Ballybunion region, and I acknowledge the importance of phase 2. In doing so, I must say regarding the possibility of further funding from my Department for phase 1 that I currently do not have any more funds available that might enable me to allocate a further grant to the Tinteán project. However, I hope it will be possible in the not too distant future to formulate a new access scheme that would enable me to grant aid developments of the kind envisaged for phase 2 at Ballybunion. I acknowledge the interest of Deputies Ferris, McEllistrim, and Deenihan in the Tinteán Centre, Ballybunion. All I can say is that grant aid and co-operation on the building of the project has been forthcoming to the limit of my Department's capacities hitherto. We will certainly examine whether it is possible to help regarding phase 2.