Only €5.57 million out of €45.7 million approved in a scheme for arts projects has so far been drawn down, it has emerged. The scheme under which the money is available is due to end next year, and there is no guarantee of funding for projects after that.
Fine Gael spokesman for the arts, Mr Jimmy Deenihan, said it was "an extraordinary situation" that only a fraction of the money approved for projects under the Arts and Culture Enhancement Support Scheme had been accessed.
He called for the money not used to be distributed among "worthy applicants" who had been unsuccessful.
"It strikes me that a number of projects presented weren't fully thought out. There was at the time of the announcement a suspicion allocations were based on political motive and that the decisions were based more on political considerations rather than on the viability of the proposals," Mr Deenihan said.
He knew of projects currently stalled because of lack of funding. Some of these, such as the Tinteán cultural and theatre project in Ballybunion, were worthy but unsuccessful applicants at the time, he added.
In August 2001 the then minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms Síle de Valera, announced allocations for 44 projects under the scheme.
A total of 180 applications were received, seeking funding in the order of €224 million.
A number of projects which attracted funding at the time were in Co Clare, the then minister's constituency.
So far, 12 of the 44 projects have drawn down funding, part-funding in some cases.
The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, said he would review the situation in light of the fact that funding beyond 2004 was not guaranteed. He hoped to have this completed shortly.