Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason for the underspend of €8 million, €3 million current and €8 million capital, against profile at the end of November; the steps being taken to ensure no underspend at the end of the year in view of the number of groups seeking money from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56119/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Gross expenditure for my Department on November 30th 2012 totalled €234.5m, which is on target at 97% of profile. This represents approximately 87% of the total REV allocation for the year. Current expenditure accounted for just over €204.1m of this total (99% of profile), while capital expenditure accounted for €30.4m (86% of profile).

Current expenditure is a little over €2m behind profile, which is a 1% variance against profile. Capital spending is approximately €5m behind profile, primarily due to certain capital projects progressing at a slightly slower rate than was anticipated. My Department has sought capital carryover of €1.2m into 2013 in respect of the heritage area. However, I expect, as with last year, that close to my Department's full programme provision will be utilised and no significant surpluses or deficits are envisaged.

I am very committed to ensuring that the maximum value is derived from my Department's budget in terms of maintaining, promoting and protecting Ireland’s heritage and culture, developing cultural tourism, advancing the use of the Irish language, and supporting the sustainable development of the islands. This is reflected in the fact that, in 2011, excluding Departmental administration, my Department expended approximately 99.76% of its available programme funding.

I will, of course, continue to closely monitor expenditure trends across all my Department’s subheads in the lead up to year-end to ensure the greatest possible use of the resources available.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to make further payments either directly from his Department or through an Bord Scannan to Solas - Galway Picture Palace before the end of the year in view of the significant progress being made with this project in recent months both from a building perspective and also in collecting private finance for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56120/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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My Department has no plans to make further payments to the Solas – Galway Picture Palace Project before the end of the year.

Bord Scannán na hÉireann/Irish Film Board is a statutorily independent agency with its own management structure and board and decisions relating to funding are ones for that organisation to make.

I welcome the progress made to date on the project and look forward to continued progress in 2013.