COUNCILLOR Dessie Larkin has this week stressed the need for the new Arts Centre in Letterkenny to be managed and operated in conjunction with the existing facilities at An Grianán Theatre.

Councillor Larkin raised his concerns through a motion at a meeting of the County Council asking for a discussion on the running and management costs of the new centre.

"I have raised the issue a number of times that structures need to be put in place. I also suggested that it would be beneficial to have a Management Committee," he said.

Cllr Larkin noted that he had raised the need for discussion between members of Letterkenny Town Council and the County Manager with regard to what role they would play and what involvement An Grianán Theatre would have.

Cllr Larkin stated: "We never had a forum to discuss these issues in and there seems to have been a breakdown in communication somewhere becuase the next thing I knew the jobs for the arts centre had appeared in the newspaper. I wanted to speak about those things before any moves were made to fill the positions."

He stated further: "In fact, the most recent update I have had on the arts centre was not from a Council source, but from what I read in the Donegal News last Friday."

"It is not easy to be here today discussing this matter given the massive amount of work which has been done as regards the Arts Centre. I don't know why we are being kept in the dark."

In support of Cllr Larkin's motion, Cllr Ciaran Brogan commented: "We have been very pro-active in Letterkenny in finding funding for arts and culture and this is a great facility for the North West. It had been agreed to have a meeting to discuss the running of this Arts Centre, but this never happened."

He added: "I think that we should continue with the same model of a Management Committee such as is in place at the new sports and leisure complex at Sallaghagrane."

Fears were also raised by Cllrs Brogan and Larkin that given the huge financial commitment to the Arts Centre it may not generate enough money to sustain itself.

Cllr Brogan commented: "I do not think that Letterkenny or the Council could afford another animal who, down the road, will end up costing us money."

In response, the County Manager, Mr Michael McLoone commented: "With regard to the governance of the Centre, I see no reason why it should change. The feedback I am getting is that it should be run within the Council's Cultural Services."

Mr McLoone added: "In relation to the running of the Regional Centre, this is not a new initiative and will be a continuation of the Letterkenny Arts Centre which is currently located in the Library since 1995. I have had many meetings with staff there and they have very strong views that this will be a regional centre with a county-wide and cross-border dimension to it. It will be very much linked with other arts services in the region. Staff there also feel it should stay embedded within the Council's Cultural Services and County Development Board."