Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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371. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the names of the organisations from County Louth which have applied for capital funding from her Department under the arts and culture capital scheme 2016-2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8190/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I recently announced details of more than €9 million in capital funding for arts and culture centres across the country. This capital scheme is the most significant investment in arts and cultural centres in a decade and will target investment at a range of different facilities, including arts centres, theatres, galleries and museums, as well as artists’ studios and creative spaces. This kind of investment is at the centre of what I am trying to achieve through Creative Ireland and the Action Plan for Rural Development.

The Arts and Culture Capital Scheme was considerably over-subscribed. The Department received 106 applications in total under Stream 1 and 2 totalling over €14.6m. Following the assessment process, 56 projects are being funded. Two applications were received from organisations in Co Louth, namely Carlingford Heritage Ltd and Droichead Arts Centre.

Unfortunately both of these applications were ineligible under the terms of the scheme. My Department has written to both applicants outlining the reason they were unsuccessful and will be happy to engage with each organisation in relation to their specific application. Unsuccessful applicants have also been informed of the Stream 3 small capital grant scheme for arts and cultural facilities which I will be announcing shortly.