Question Time: Culture, Arts and Leisure Tuesday 6 October 2015
Caral Ni
Chuilin, Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, gave her assessment of Culture
Night Belfast 2015 during today’s
Question Time. A variety of culture nights took place across the North on
18 September 2015. Through the Arts Council, DCAL made a funding contribution
of £21,600 to the Cathedral Quarter Trust for Culture Night Belfast. While it
is too early to make an assessment of Culture Night as a whole due to the lack
of detailed information as yet, from initial feedback the event in Belfast was
a particular success. Early estimates place attendance at 65,000 providing a “convincing
indicator of support for the local cultural scene right across Belfast and of
the sector's potential to contribute to the development of a diverse and
dynamic culture.” The Minister added that “Culture nights are now an integral
part of the wide-ranging cultural offering supported by my Department, such as
Belfast Pride in July, the Festival of Fools and the Cathedral Quarter Arts
Festival, all of which continue to attract significant numbers of spectators
and participants.”
Alex Maskey
then asked for an update on the implementation of the twenty recommendations of
the project
assessment review report on Casement Park. The Minister intends to
implement all twenty recommendations in full. Upon receipt of the report (on 7
August 2015) the Minister immediately set about implementing those
recommendations deemed critical. A senior officer responsible for the regional
stadia programme has been appointed in the form of Ian
Maye and good progress is being made in the appointment of an independent
chair of the safety technical group, which is expected to happen later this
month or in early November. Ms Ni Chuilin also allayed concerns about the 12
month timeframe recommended by the report for a new planning application saying
“I think that they are being very generous in their estimation that it will
take up to an additional 12 months. I know that Casement is in the Member's
(Alex Maskey) constituency, and I hope that, very soon, the Ulster Council will
bring forward its pre-consultation consultation to equip people who will feed
into a consultation on a new planning application. I imagine that that will
happen very soon.”
During
Question Time the Minister also answered questions on the refurbishment of
Belfast Central Library, remuneration of Arm’s-length bodies, Together:
Building a United Community, and centenary events planned for the First World
War. During the period for topical questions the Minister also answered
questions on DCAL funding for the Easter Rising centenary, preparing Casement
Park for the 2023 Rugby World Cup bid, the Foyle Valley gateway master plan and
DCAL bids during June monitoring.
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