Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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312. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason that the sum of €353,784 in Covid-19 cultural support grants was returned to her Department since the pandemic began; and the way that this funding was subsequently used by her Department. [4748/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Over €55.5m was paid out in grants in 2021 to the Live Performance Sector under a number of schemes including:

- Live Performance Support Scheme

- Events Sector Covid Support Scheme

- Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme

- Commercial Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme

- Cultural Capital Scheme – stream D

A small number of grants totalling €353,784 (as per table below) under those schemes were not taken up or not fully drawn down, no grants were returned.  Some applicants opted not to drawdown the grants offered, either partly or in full, for a variety of reasons related to their own circumstances. For example, under the LPSS, 6 applicants decided not to go ahead with the events as originally planned.