I wish to advise the Deputy of the following initiatives, projects and developments planned by my Department for north inner city Dublin in 2024.
Culture
In September 2021 my Department published the Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce. It is a Cross-Government Report containing 36 actions across a broad range of issues associated with the Night-Time Economy, all with the aim of increasing the diversity of events, increasing cultural opportunities and encouraging innovation and creativity in the Night-Time Economy in our towns and cities across the country.
In 2024, my Department is providing funding to recruit a Night-Time Advisor in Dublin City. The Night-Time Advisor will work with businesses, communities, venues, residents and artists to create a safer and vibrant night-life for all and bring vitality back to our city in a safe and sustainable way.
My Department will continue to work in partnership in 2024 with Dublin City Council and together, along with the new Night-Time Advisor, to develop new initiatives in Dublin city, including the north inner city, to ensure that all of the actions in the Report are progressed and that our Night-Time Economy can grow and thrive.
Creative Ireland
The Creative Ireland Programme’s Creative Climate Action Fund II: Agents of Change has provided a total of €342,000 in funding, in conjunction with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, to three projects based in north inner city Dublin and the surrounding areas, commencing in 2024. The grantees are Context Studios Ltd (in partnership with Cabra Sustainable Energy Community), Islander Architects (in partnership with TU Dublin) and Global Action Plan, who will work with three Ballymun-based organisations.
The Creative Youth Nurture Fund is a pilot scheme that will support youth-led cultural, artistic and creative engagement by young people. Foróige was one of the organisations awarded this fund and will run a project titled “City Instincts” from 2023 to 2025. Although exact locations have not been confirmed at this development phase, part of the programme will run in north inner city Dublin.
The Creative Communities initiative provides funding to Dublin City Council to support the culture and creativity team to implement an annual programme of events and initiatives that align with their culture and creativity strategy. Additionally, my Department will continue to support Cruinniú na nÓg in June 2024 where children and young people will get to participate in this national day of free creative activity.
Sport
Sport Ireland, as the agency responsible for the development of sport in Ireland, will be developing its plans for the 2024 budget allocations in the coming period and will be announcing relevant details to the key stakeholders in due course. All counties will benefit from this funding.
Capital funding is provided by my Department for sports projects under the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund and the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme. Many projects in Dublin City have benefitted from such support in recent years and all allocations are published on the www.gov.ie website. It is however, a matter for the grantees to advance all relevant projects.