Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 496: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his proposals for funding a conference centre and concert hall at fisheries field, Galway as part of the proposal for Galway city under the gateway innovation funding; and if funding will be made available to Galway City Council. [10069/08]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 515: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when announcements will be made on the Gateway Innovation Fund 2008 to 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10163/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 496 and 515 together.

Following the Call for Proposals under the competitive €300 million Gateway Innovation Fund (GIF) which issued in June 2007, proposals from all nine National Spatial Strategy Gateways were received by the closing date of 15 November 2007. These proposals are currently being evaluated against the criteria set down in the Call for Proposals by the GIF Management Committee which consists of representatives of my Department and the Department of Finance (with appropriate input from other Departments and agencies as required). Goodbody Economic Consultants have been commissioned to assist in the evaluation process. The Committee will report and make recommendations to the Tánaiste and to me as soon as possible, and we will jointly bring our recommendations to Government thereafter.