Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 784: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if a national audit of arts and cultural facilities has been carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38260/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, a national audit of sports facilities is underway. This is being carried out in two phases. Phase one of the audit is complete and focused on national and regional sports facilities. Phase two is the compilation of a list of facilities at local level and commenced in 2008 with the assistance of local authorities. The opportunity was taken to gather information on publicly funded arts facilities in local authority areas. Guidelines were issued to the local authorities to assist them in carrying out the audit. To date 32 of the 34 Local Authorities have submitted their returns which contain over 6,000 records of sports and arts facilities. In tandem with this, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is undertaking an audit of community facilities.

The Department will collate the information on arts facilities provided by the local authorities when it is complete as well as relevant records from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. At that point the Department will assess the merits of as well as the costs involved in undertaking the necessary actions to complete a national audit of arts and cultural facilities.