Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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709. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason a project (details supplied) in County Meath has been refused funding by her Department and/or the Arts Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26304/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Each local authority has appointed a steering committee and a dedicated ‘Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme’ co-ordinator, to support engagement and facilitation within local communities to generate awareness of the national programme; and to develop and deliver a plan for a suitable programme of events and initiatives to take place at a county level in line with the national plans for Ireland 2016. In this context, I have allocated €1 million in 2015 to be distributed evenly across all local authorities. The purpose of this funding allocation is to support each local authority in developing and delivering a plan for a suitable programme of events and initiatives to take place at a county level in line with the national plans for Ireland 2016. In this context, a variety of different initiatives will be supported within each local authority area that are creative, inspiring and respectful and that will engage people of all ages.

The group referred to in the Deputy's question should, in the first instance, contact the local Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme’ co-ordinator in County Meath to discuss the options available. Contact details are available on .

The Arts Council is an independent statutory body, funded by my Department. I, as Minister of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht have no role in its funding decisions.