A cinema in Galway, that has cost the State €8.4 million, will finally open to the public next Friday.
The Pálás cinema has been mired in controversy since the project was first mooted, 14 years ago.
With state of the art technology, three screens, a coffee shop and a bar, the cinema is envisaged as a cultural hub for Galway.
But the project has encountered numerous problems over the years, with funding shortfalls, contractual issues and structural difficulties.
The Solas Picture Palace was first proposed in 2004, when a charity was established to raise funds to construct a dedicated arthouse cinema in Galway.
In the intervening years, the project received millions of euro in funding from the Department of Arts, Galway City Council, The Irish Film Board and the Western Development Commission.
After lengthy negotiations and several standstills, Element Pictures took over the project in late 2016 and agreed a 30 year lease on the cinema with Galway City Council.
As part of the agreement, the company would pay no rent for the first 25 years.
In return, Element Pictures said it would invest more than €1 million to finish the building and fit out the cinema.
It points to its stewardship of the Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin as a template for what it may bring to Galway.
The company is promising "an eclectic mix" of the best new Irish and international films, with classics, foreign language, animated films and special events.
Tickets for the opening night go on sale from tomorrow evening.
