Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister Arts, Sport and Tourism her plans to promote cultural activities, directly or indirectly throughout County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14237/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 157: To ask the Minister Arts, Sport and Tourism her plans to grant aid or otherwise support cultural groups throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14240/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister Arts, Sport and Tourism her plans to directly or indirectly assist local community based cultural groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14242/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 154, 157 and 159 together.

Primary responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. The Council is funded by my Department and is independent in its day to day operations, including funding decisions. The allocation to the Arts Council for 2010 is €68.649m.

Under the ACCESS programme, my Department is responsible for the provision of capital monies for arts centres, galleries, theatres, etc. In 2008 and 2009 €52m was expended in respect of such facilities. A further €16m is allocated in 2010 for regional arts capital projects throughout the country. Many of these projects are already under construction and will be completed in 2010. Under this scheme €580,000 has been allocated to the Lantern Municipal Gallery in Kildare. This project has not yet commenced. A list of the successful ACCESS II projects and the amount of grant aid allocated to each project is available on my Department's website. No date has been set for the next round of allocations under the ACCESS programme.