Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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157. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 39 of 6 March 2025, for an update on his engagement with stakeholders on the matter of maintaining public ownership of the Pálás cinema in Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34912/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Pálás Arthouse Cinema Galway was operated by Element Pictures T/A Picture Palace Cinema Ltd for 7 years under a lease from Galway City Council. The cinema closed on 28 February 2025.

The cinema operator offered to surrender the remainder of the lease to Galway City Council leaving all relevant moveable assets in place to allow any new operator to have the benefit of existing equipment. In April, GCC accepted the voluntary surrender. The Minister had a charge on the property along with other stakeholders the Western Development Commission and Screen Ireland. As Minister, I consented to the surrender of the lease to the City Council as did the other stakeholders, allowing the property revert to the Council. As a result, Galway City Council can seek an alternative operator for the building.

Galway City Council took surrender of the lease of the Pálás on 3 April 2025. On 29 May 2025, the Council called for expressions of Interest for the future management of the facility and this remains open. Details are available at www.galwaycity.ie/palas .