02/09/2014

SDLP Criticises Ní Chuilín For 'Failure' To Deliver L'Derry Legacy

SDLP MLA Colum Eastwood has criticised Culture Minister Caral Ní Chuilín for what he described as a "failure to deliver on key promises for Derry's City of Culture legacy."

Mr Eastwood made the comments following the revelation that no money has been allocated to the Minister's department to strengthen the legacy of L'Derry's year as City of Culture.

The department was refused an application for £5.6m in the June monitoring round after no bid was made.

"In November last year Minister Ni Chuilín set out a 'strategic direction' for the legacy which involved the creation of a dedicated company to deliver cultural-based projects in Derry and the establishment of a 'permanent' DCAL North West office in the city to build on the benefits of 2013. The fact that these have not come to fruition has been met with dismay in the city," said Mr Eastwood.

"The minister announced to much fanfare in the Gasyard that she was in the city to 'reassure' everybody that her department had a plan. A large part of that plan hinged on securing funding from the Executive but, in fact, she failed to even submit a bid for money to back the project in the January monitoring round. Midway through the legacy year she had finally prepared the application promised back in November, but was refused funding in the June monitoring round."

He continued: "Where does that leave Derry's City of Culture legacy? We have a plan, but no money to deliver it due to inaction on the part of our culture minister and her department. The people of Derry are fed up with glitzy announcements of investment with no delivery to back them up."

(IT/CD)

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