Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 704: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his Department offers grant assistance for a project (details supplied) in County Cork. [1254/08]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Projects of the type referred to by the Deputy are normally considered under my Department's Arts and Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme (ACCESS). The ACCESS scheme is designed to assist in the provision of high standard arts and culture infrastructure, thereby enhancing access to the arts throughout the country. ACCESS has been widely acknowledged as a significant intervention in the provision of such facilities around the country.

In April last funding of €32 million was awarded to the promoters of 67 projects nationwide under the most recent round of this scheme, ACCESS II. The primary focus of this second round of the scheme is the refurbishment and enhancement of existing arts and cultural facilities and it will run from 2007 to 2009.

No application for funding under the ACCESS II scheme was received from the organisation in question. I will be announcing a further round of ACCESS funding later this year and it will be open to the organisation to apply for funding under the scheme at that time.