Is the Tánaiste aware that the Belltable Arts Centre in Limerick has received a total of £10,000 from the national lottery since its establishment; that the Arts Council have no funds whatever from which they can give it any further support; that as a result of the inability of the Arts Council to fund touring theatres that theatre, in common with others in the provinces, now has difficulty in attracting companies who can play in it; that as a result its cumulated deficit has increased considerably and that it now has had to give notice that it will have to close at the beginning of December if some funds are not forthcoming from the national lottery? In those circumstances, will the Tánaiste make arrangements for some reasonable payment to be made to avert what will be a catastrophe in artistic terms, bearing in mind that if the theatre closes unfortunately it may never re-open again?

I will certainly have another look at this. However, the fact is that there has been a substantial rise in the grant, year in year out. From 1985 to 1988 there was a lift from £16,000 to £40,000. I will have the matter examined, as suggested by the Deputy, because we are naturally anxious to help the Arts. However, it cannot be open-ended.

Will the Tánaiste agree that this theatre has been run very efficiently down the years and that there has been no waste of money? Will he agree that the fact that it has been able to survive for eight years with an accumulated deficit of only £70,000 is a great credit to it? Surely the lottery funds are available for this type of purpose, if for no other?

Lottery funds have been diverted to this project via the Arts Council. Lottery funding, and funding from the Arts Council, have played a major role in rehabilitating a number of art and theatre projects of this type and they stand up to scrutiny under any criteria. However, I will have the case made by Deputy O'Malley examined.