'Serious questions' about public spending on Galway Capital of Culture
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A report on Galway's term as European Capital of Culture will be completed by the end of the year amid concerns about overspending of public money, Arts Minister Catherine Martin has said.
However, Ms Martin did not commit to a full departmental review of the cultural programme, which was singled out for scrutiny in last week's Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) report.
Independent TD for Galway West Catherine Connolly told the Dáil there are "serious questions" for the Government, which had a nominee on the Galway 2020 board.
The projected level of funding for Galway 2020, particularly from private-sector sources, “did not materialise” and ticket sales were severely impacted by the pandemic, which hit less than two months into its year-long term.
As a result, the department became the majority funder, at 61%. When local authority funding is included, the total public funding portion rises to 87%.
“This was contrary to a government decision that exchequer funding would not exceed 50%,” the C&AG report added.
The total funding the event received came to €22.9m, of which €20m was public money.
Speaking in the Dáil, Ms Martin said additional funding was required because of the need to change the programme when Covid-19 hit.
She said it would have been "unconscionable to pull funding last summer".
Ms Martin said a restructured plan was agreed in June 2020 and that the Galway 2020 group meets with her department every two weeks and gives a report every month.
"Overall monitoring is at an advanced stage and an overall report will be delivered before year-end," she said.
Ms Connolly said the analysis of Galway 2020 was costing €200,000 and the C&AG points out that the Government's board nominee did not receive reports or terms of reference of subcommittees.
"There are serious questions here for the department and I say that reluctantly. Why did we have a nominee on the board at all?"
Ms Martin was later praised in the Dáil for bringing forward plans for a universal basic income for artists.
Social Democrats arts spokesperson Gary Gannon said it would be a "legacy that will outlive the Government", while Fianna Fáil's John Lahart said it would be "a statement of how Ireland values its artists".
Mr Gannon had earlier asked junior sports minister Jack Chambers about the future of Tolka Park on Dublin's northside.
The long-time home of Shelbourne FC, the stadium is to be demolished and Shelbourne moved to a refurbished Dalymount Park.
However, a local campaign has called for the stadium to be saved. Mr Gannon asked Mr Chambers to save the stadium from the "Sword of Damocles" hanging over it.
Mr Chambers said that while no capital grant application would be rejected out of hand, the future of the stadium rests with its owner, Dublin City Council.