Written Answers Nos. 48-63
48. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide increased support to community radio in respect of high inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45766/23]
View answerSupport to the community media sector is primarily made available through the Sound and Vision Scheme, administered by Coimisiún na Meán, which provides funding for content as well as training and outreach activities. Social Benefit funding targeted at the community media sector is a significant new innovation within the Sound and Vision Scheme which I welcome.
Over the past three years these targeted rounds have provided almost €1.9 million in funding to the community broadcasting sector, together with a further €1.19 million in awards from general Sound and Vision funding rounds.
Next year, Round 52 will open in January, when up to €750k in funding will be available for community broadcasters. This will be the largest ever amount of funding ring-fenced for a dedicated Community Radio funding round, demonstrating the ongoing commitment to support the sector.
The Future of Media Commission recommended that a new Community Media Scheme be established as part of the wider Media Fund. I remain committed to implementing the Future of Media Commission recommendations, including the new Media Fund schemes. The Media Fund has been established on an administrative basis, with Local Democracy and Court Reporting Schemes currently being designed by Coimisiún na Meán for delivery in 2024. , including community radio. An Coimisiún will in due course also undertake the necessary research and consultation in order to design a new community media scheme.
49. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the increase provided for in the estimates for 2025 in funding for TG4 and RTÉ respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45689/23]
View answerAdditional funding of €4.8 million was allocated to TG4 as part of Budget 2024, bringing the total allocation for next year to €57.033 million. TG4 has been provided with substantial additional resources under my term as Minister, with a total increase of €19.8m in funding being provided over the lifetime of this Government. This is a 53% increase on the level of funding TG4 had in 2020.
The additional funding will support TG4 in the delivery of their 2023 - 2027 strategy, and ensuring the provision of high-quality Irish language audio-visual content. This investment also provides for the consolidation of the new Cúla4 service, which I launched last month and will enable the commissioning of additional content for children as a priority audience for the broadcaster. I will continue to support TG4 as it grows its content, schedule and audience, and as it continues to support increased use of Irish in our day-to-day lives.
As recommended by the Future of Media Commission, and underpinned by the more recent NewERA analysis, the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and I have acknowledged the need to provide interim funding of €16 million to RTÉ. As I stated last week, this is being dealt with post budget, while any further interim funding, required as a result of declining TV licence revenues, will be considered later in the year when we receive RTÉ’s Strategic Vision addressing reform, the rebuilding of the organisation and critically, public trust.
50. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her plans to promote the famine walkway. [45704/23]
View answerMy Department hosts the National Famine Commemoration Day each year. The Government, on 1st May 2018, approved the designation of the third Sunday of May each year as the National Famine Commemoration Day. The arrangements for the holding of the State commemoration on this day or the preceding Saturday is decided each year following consultation with the relevant local authority and host community. The Commemoration takes place in each province on a rotating basis. This year it was held in Milford, Co. Donegal on Sunday 21st May. The commemoration, which was open to the public, was presided over President Higgins and included military honours and a wreath laying ceremony.
My Department's role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national tourism policy and implementation of that policy is a matter for the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, as well as certain other bodies. With specific regard to plans to promote the famine walkway, this is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland in line with its tourism development functions. I have referred this question to them for direct response to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
51. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the total amount of Large-Scale Sports Infrastructure Funds that have been allocated and issued; the amount of funds that remain unallocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45737/23]
View answerThe National Sports Policy, which was published in 2018, provided for the establishment of a Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The first call for proposals under the LSSIF closed in 2019 with applications confined to local authorities and National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of Sport. All applications were assessed in accordance with the published Evaluation Procedures and Guidelines and the first allocations were announced in January 2020. Thus far, approximately €86.4 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals. Full details of all allocations are available at: www.gov.ie/en/service/4113b3-large-scale-sport-infrastructure-fund-lssif/. Details of all payments under the LSSIF for 2021 and 2022 are also available on my Department's website and are summarised below.
Total payments in 2021: €417,015
Total payments in 2022: €1,895,561
€1,585,653 has been paid to date in 2023 with requests for approximately an additional €1m currently being processed.
In relation to these drawdown rates, it should be noted that the first LSSIF allocations were announced just prior to the arrival of Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic gave rise to significant financial challenges for all grantees with many of them having to reprioritise their own expenditure plans due to reductions in their income streams. In more recent times, the high level of construction inflation has also presented considerable challenges for grantees.
In view of these issues, it was considered timely to review progress on all projects allocated grants and meetings with all grantees have taken place. It is encouraging that, based on these discussions with grantees, it is estimated that a majority of the 33 projects should be in a position to draw down funding in the next 12 months. Furthermore, projects such as the new athletics hub in Newcastle West, the linear walkway element of the project in Dunboyne and phase one of the Walsh Park development in Waterford are now complete. While this progress is very welcome, these discussions also confirmed that some projects in receipt of LSSIF grants may not proceed in the short to medium term.
Following engagement with the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, and in recognition of the challenges faced by some grantees, officials in my Department wrote to all LSSIF grantees inviting them to apply for additional support by 4 August 2023. To be considered for additional funding, grantees were advised that the key elements of the project should remain as set out in the original LSSIF application and that priority will be given to applicants who provide evidence-based documentation to support their application. Further clarification was sought from some grantees but all of this information has now been received. Accordingly, I hope to be in a position to announce further allocations to grantees in due course with a view to ensuring that all existing LSSIF projects can be completed.
With regard to a possible new round of the LSSIF, I will continue to engage with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, in relation to the funding required to underpin any new round.
53. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media whether she supports the calls of representatives of actors, writers and directors for an end to use of buy-out contracts by film producers as a condition for those producers continuing to receive public funding for film productions in Ireland. [45792/23]
View answerThis is a complex and nuanced issue. Screen industry contracting may vary from production to production with a range of production types from lower budget domestic productions to higher budget incoming international productions. There are different approaches for film and television projects to purchasing rights.
Standard contracts between producers and creative rights holders vary from country to country, with different approaches throughout Europe. In this context, creatives currently operate under a range of different work-related agreements. Section 481 does not obligate one set of terms over another.
Matters relating to intellectual property rights, copyright and the transposition into Irish law of the EU Copyright Directive fall under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The transposed Directive aims to strengthen and protect the rights of authors, performers and the wider creative community, notably with online platforms. Certain provisions within the Directive, designed to help Irish copyright law keep pace with the digital age, requires all industry stakeholders to work together towards establishing new frameworks and agreements.
The acting profession in the audiovisual industry is represented by Irish Equity/SIPTU. In the first instance, SIPTU may negotiate and agree contracts, arrangements and rates for stage and screen actors in Ireland. SIPTU also represents many of the screen workers guilds and, in this context a shooting crew agreement is in place that operates in the sector.
Earlier this year, Screen Ireland, the State Body with responsibility for the development of the Irish audiovisual industry, retained an independent facilitator to meet with stakeholders to understand and discuss issues that have arisen since the transposition into Irish law of the EU Copyright Directive.
During the first phase of the process, individual stakeholder meetings were held and subsequently moderated group discussions took place with screen writers, directors, composers, actors, animation and live-action producers, with a view to finding common understandings and potential clarifications that might be required around the legislation. As a collective, the industry representative group has proposed next steps that Screen Ireland is currently reviewing with a view to supporting progress. It is important to allow that process the opportunity to address some of these concerns in the first instance. A Minister, I would encourage all representative groups to continue to engage in this process and in negotiating fair agreements to ensure the continued success and growth of the industry.
55. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what percentage of the overall Budget 2024 has been allocated to the promotion of Irish language and the Gaeltacht; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45681/23]
View answer€100.098m, representing 9% of my Department's total allocation, has been allocated to my Department's Programme C (Gaeltacht and Irish Language) area for 2024. This allocation does not include some €57.033m allocated under my Department's Media allocation to TG4 for next year.
The allocation provided under Programme C will allow my Department to:
• increase support for Údarás na Gaeltachta;
• maintain support for the Department's Gaeltacht support schemes;
• provide addition support for the Department's Irish language support schemes;
• increase supports for teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds wishing to attend Irish summer college;
• continue to support cross-border co-operation in the languages sector via An Foras Teanga; and,
• maintain support for the Language Planning Process.
56. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to explain where the funding is being repurposed from within her Department's arts and culture programme to fund the increases announced for the Arts Council, Culture Ireland, Screen Ireland, Safe to Create, and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, given the overall programme budget is only increasing by 0.7% in Budget 2024. [45588/23]
View answerIn 2024, I secured a total of €367.406m for Arts and Culture, up from €356.982m in 2023. This is an increase of €10.424m equivalent to 3%.
The detailed breakout of each of my Department's programme areas and subheads for 2024 will be made available as part of the Revised Estimates Volume to be published later this year.
57. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if Carlow will benefit from the changes for the screen industry announced in Budget 2024. [45183/23]
View answerThe changes announced in Budget 2024 to assist the Irish screen industry, including increased funding to Screen Ireland and improvements in tax relief measures are for all of the State and are not confined to any one region.
Screen Ireland grants are open to individuals and organisations based across the State and the tax relief can, and is applied for by producer companies in every county.
In terms of specifics, the National Talent Academies network is an initiative of Screen Ireland. It includes the National Talent Academy for Film and Television, the National Talent Academy for Animation, and three regional Crew Academies: East (including Carlow) West and South. The network has been established to develop a highly skilled, diverse talent and crew base throughout the country, offering a wide range of activities for the Irish screen industry, including courses, programmes and career opportunities. The National Talent Academies are addressing innovation, skills development and sectoral growth and are the is the result of additional stimulus investment provided to Screen Ireland by me as Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. They form part of a wider strategy to support skills development across all regions of Ireland, with a particular focus on diversity and inclusion.
As part of this initiative, the Carlow Campus of the South East Technological University is being encouraged to work together with the Animation Academy going into 2024. The Animation Academy invited 2D and 3D animation final year students from the Carlow Campus to attend their upcoming Animation Fair in Dublin next month, where they will meet with animation studios from around the country and attend panel events and demonstrations, as well as get to showcase their work from the previous year on screen.
As of 31 August 2023, the National Talent Academies have provided 65+ courses, many of which were attended by participants based in Carlow.
58. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán an dtacaíonn sí leis an bPlean Fáis atá foilsithe ag Conradh na Gaeilge; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [45590/23]
View answerTuigim go bhfuil plean fáis uailmhianach seolta ag Conradh na Gaeilge le súil maoiniú agus infheistíocht sa Ghaeilge agus sa Ghaeltacht a mhéadú – agus labhairt na teanga a chur chun cinn dá réir – idir 2024 agus 2029.
Tá an plean feicthe ag feidhmeannaigh mo Roinne agus á bhreithniú faoi láthair acu.
Ó bhliain go bliain, leanann mo Roinn ag cabhrú mar is cuí le cúnamh reatha agus caipitil a chur ar fáil faoi na cláir Ghaeilge agus Ghaeltachta ar leas foriomlán na teanga agus an phobail.
Mar is eol don Teachta, tá infheistíocht shuntasach déanta ag an Rialtas seo sa Ghaeilge agus sa Ghaeltacht le cúpla bliain anuas.
D'éirigh linn méadú 4% a fháil ar mhaoiniú d’earnáil na Gaeltachta don bhliain seo chugainn, arb ionann le €4.2m de mhaoiniú breise agus leithdháileadh iomlán de €100m don bhliain 2024.
San ardú seo, tá €500,000 curtha ar fáil le tacú le cur i bhfeidhm Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú), 2021, mar aon le €500,000 eile atá curtha ar fáil mar thacaíocht do scéimeanna um chuimsiú sóisialta a chuirfidh leis an gcuimsiú, leis an éagsúlacht agus leis an inrochtaineacht ó thaobh na gcoláistí samhraidh de do 2024.
Tá maoiniú freisin i mbliana i mBuiséad mo Roinne a thacóidh le tús a chur le spriocanna de chuid na Straitéise do na hEalaíona Teangabhunaithe a bhaint amach le linn 2024.
Chomh maith leis an infheistíocht seo, beifear ag súil scéim nua a fhógairt le linn 2024 a thacóidh le múinteoirí agus oideachasóirí luathbhlianta barr feabhais a chur ar a gcuid Gaeilge.
Is mian liom tagairt freisin a dhéanamh den infheistíocht shuntasach atá déanta ag an Rialtas seo in TG4 le cúpla bliain anuas, agus €4.8m breise arís do 2024.
Tá bonnchloch maith ag mo Roinn agus muid ag tabhairt faoi chur chun cinn, faoi fhorbairt agus faoi bhuanú na Gaeilge ar fud an oileáin an bhliain seo chugainn.
59. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what further actions, if any, has she taken to address the concerns repeatedly raised by representatives of actors, writers, directors and film crews in relation to their remuneration, conditions and contracts of employment and the failure of film producers in receipt of public funding to meet the requirement of quality employment and training. [45791/23]
View answerI want to see a sustainable screen industry in Ireland where everyone is treated fairly and receives fair and equitable remuneration. In equal measure, I expect all stakeholders to engage actively with each other to come to appropriate and fair agreements. Earlier this year at the Galway Film Fleadh, I brought many of the stakeholders together including representatives of the creatives referred to by the Deputy at a round table discussion.
There is no doubt that this is a complex and nuanced issue. There are some collective agreements in place such as those for shooting crew and construction crew. These include rates of pay, terms and conditions, provision for pension and dispute resolution. Such agreements are beneficial to everyone, producer companies, incoming productions, and indeed, workers themselves providing clarity and transparency. Film crew referred to by the Deputy are represented by SIPTU who represents many of the screen workers guilds and for whom the shooting crew agreement operates.
Where there are no collective agreements, contracting will vary from production to production, across a range of production types from lower budget domestic productions to higher budget incoming international productions and with different approaches for film and television projects. Each project and productions has to make its own arrangements for rates of pay and to purchasing rights.
The acting profession is represented by Irish Equity/SIPTU and it is clear that SIPTU may negotiate and agree contracts, arrangements and rates for stage and screen actors in Ireland.
In the matter of the other creatives mentioned by the Deputy - writers, and directors - they are represented by the Screenwriters Guild and The Directors Guild respectively. The issue of how these creatives and, and indeed the Guild representing screen composers operative under the transposed EU Copyright Directive is currently being discussed and this falls to be clarified by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment as matters relating to intellectual property rights, copyright and the transposition into Irish law of the EU Copyright Directive fall under his remit.
Earlier this year, Screen Ireland, the State Body with responsibility for the development of the Irish audiovisual industry, retained an independent facilitator to meet with stakeholders to understand and discuss issues that have arisen since the transposition into Irish law of the EU Copyright Directive.
During the first phase of the process, individual stakeholder meetings were held and subsequently moderated group discussions took place with screen writers, directors, composers, actors, animation and live-action producers, with a view to finding common understandings and potential clarifications that might be required around the legislation. As a collective, the industry representative group has proposed next steps that Screen Ireland is currently reviewing with a view to supporting progress. It is important to allow that process the opportunity to address some of these concerns in the first instance. As Minister, I would encourage all representative groups to continue to engage in this process and in negotiating fair agreements to ensure the continued success and growth of the industry.
60. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to outline what measures were included in Budget 2024 to support tourism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45754/23]
View answerIn Budget 2024 I secured funding of €216 million to continue the support for tourism development at home and amongst overseas visitors; whilst supporting continued recovery in the sector.
I maintained additional funding of €10 million for overseas marketing of Ireland as a leading holiday destination. Sustaining marketing campaigns at current levels will be crucial to ensure Ireland’s share of voice is maintained for longer-term success in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
As part of the Budget settlement that I have secured for tourism in 2024, up to €10 million has been identified for a comprehensive programme of supports targeted at downstream tourism businesses experiencing particular trading challenges linked to the reduction in footfall to activities and attractions in regions most impacted by tourism bed stock displacement.
This programme of supports includes investment in sustainable tourism development and promotion, industry digitalisation, promotion of domestic tourism and festivals and recruitment and retention initiatives.
I have also asked Fáilte Ireland to engage with impacted businesses to consider the scope for a specific business support scheme that could help the most affected tourism activities and attractions and to report back to me on options and recommendations in four weeks’ time. A strong evidence-base will be critical in this regard and I have asked the tourism sector, particularly activities and attractions, to engage with Fáilte Ireland in order to provide direct and verifiable evidence of how tourism accommodation stock displacement has negatively impacted on their businesses.
While the precise breakdown of the €10 million funding I have secured to support downstream tourism businesses will not be finalised until I have received Fáilte’s report, I will be ring-fencing specific funding to Fáilte Ireland for sustainable tourism development to help tourism businesses improve their energy efficiency. This investment will help businesses to reduce overheads and dependency on fossil fuels while supporting the sector in the delivery of its climate targets by reducing carbon emissions.
I am very aware of the challenges businesses are facing and Government is supporting businesses through measures such as the Increased Costs of Business Scheme introduced by my colleagues, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I understand the aim of the scheme is to provide financial support to small and medium sized businesses which have been most impacted by additional business costs, by providing a tiered grant equivalent to up to half business rates for this year.
As Minister for Tourism, I have worked hard to help bring the sector through the worst of the Covid crisis and the recovery of the sector today is testament to the collaborative approach I have taken with the tourism agencies, the sector itself and key stakeholders.
61. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what action, if any, she intends to take to ensure recognition of service of film crew in the Irish film industry and to address the vulnerability of film crew to black-balling given the ongoing use of successive fixed-term contracts for the employment of crew by film producers who are in receipt of public funding for film production. [45793/23]
View answerIn applying for film tax relief under Section 481, the producer company and the qualifying company must sign an undertaking to comply with all aspects of employment law. In addition, each applicant and recipient must have in place policies and procedures on grievances, discipline and dignity at work.
Employment law including that covering the use of fixed-term contracts is a matter for my Cabinet colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment as are matters relating to "black-balling". The Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court are the mechanism put in place by the Government to investigate and deal with alleged breaches of employment legislation.
62. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán soiléiriú a thabhairt maidir le Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge; cén uair a bheidh an scéim i bhfeidhm; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [45676/23]
View answerNíl i gceist ag mo Roinn Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge a thabhairt ar ais mar a bhí sé i 2011 nuair a chuireadh deireadh leis. Ó cuireadh deireadh leis an scéim seo, tá raon leathan de bhearta curtha i bhfeidhm ag mo Roinn agus faoi scáth an phróisis pleanála teanga - a tháinig i bhfeidhm ó shin - chun cabhrú le teaghlaigh atá ag tógáil clainne le Gaeilge nó ar mhian leo é sin a dhéanamh.
I bhfianaise an tábhacht faoi leith a bhaineann le tacú tuilleadh fós le cur chun cinn na teanga ar bhonn teaghlaigh sa Ghaeltacht agus go deimhin sna Bailte Seirbhíse Gaeltachta agus Líonraí Gaeilge atá aitheanta faoin bpróiseas pleanála teanga, bhuail feidhmeannaigh mo Roinne le páirtithe leasmhara chun breathnú ar bhearta breise thairis an méid atá ar bun cheana a d’fhéadfaí a chur sa tsiúil chun tacú tuilleadh le cur chun cinn na Gaeilge ag leibhéal an teaghlaigh. Tionóladh an mheitheal smaointeoireachta seo ar an 9ú Feabhra 2023 agus bhí an-rath air. Ó shin i leith, tá an t-ábhar pléite le roinnt páirtithe leasmhara le smaointe agus tuairimí maidir le scéim nua a bhailiú.
Bhí cruinniú ag an Roinn le Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta an 21 Meán Fómhair chun na féidearthachtaí maidir le scéim nua a chíoradh agus tá beartaithe ag an Roinn bualadh le grúpa ionadaíoch ar na hOifigigh Pleanála Teanga sna seachtainí amach romhainn chun a gcuid smaointe a bhailiú freisin.
Sa bhreis ar an bplé seo uile, cuireann mo Roinn raon leathann de tacaíochtaí eile ar fáil don Ghaeilge sa Ghaeltacht. I measc na tacaíochtaí seo, tá na nithe seo a leanas:
• Ceadaíodh cistíocht shuntasach ar fiú breis agus €1.6m é thar tréimhse trí bliana don eagraíocht Tuismitheoirí na Gaeltachta ó 2021 go 2023. Cuireann an maoiniú seo le cumas Tuismitheoirí na Gaeltachta tacú le tuismitheoir atá ag tógáil clainne le Gaeilge nó ar mhian leo é sin a dhéanamh. Tá plé ar siúil leis an eagraíocht faoi láthair maidir le cistíocht do 2024 agus na blianta ina dhiaidh sin.
• Cuireann mo Roinn ciste faoi leith ar fáil don eagraíocht Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta freisin mar thacaíocht d'earnáil na luathbhlianta sa Ghaeltacht. Is maoiniú é seo ar fiú €601,100 é i leith na scoilbliana 2022/23. Cuireann Údarás na Gaeltachta ciste ar leith eile ar fáil do Chomhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta agus tá maoiniú ar fiú €619,500 ceadaithe ag an eagraíocht sin i leith 2023.
• Cheadaigh mé allúntas ar fiú €3.72m don eagraíocht d’Ealaín na Gaeltachta i mbliana chun clár 3 bliana a fheidhmiú - méadú 200% ar an allúntas deiridh atá i gceist leis seo. Is tréimhse 3 bliana, 2023 go 2025 atá i gceist leis an maoiniú seo. Cuimsíonn an t-ardú seo d'Ealaín na Gaeltachta clár oibre a fheidhmiú fud fad na Gaeltachta a dhíreoidh ar deiseanna breise sealbhaithe agus saibhrithe teanga a spreagadh i measc óige na Gaeltachta.
Is féidir liom a dheimhniú don Teachta go mbeidh mo Roinn i gcónaí ag breathnú ar bhealaí chun cabhrú le teaghlaigh atá ag tógáil clainne le Gaeilge nó ar mhian leo é sin a dhéanamh.
