John Paul O'Shea
Question:6. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide an update on sports capital grant appeals for Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9867/25]
Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
Sports Funding
Colm Burke
Question:11. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the timeframe for when the next sports capital grant applications will open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10207/25]
As this is my first opportunity to speak in the Dáil, I wish to say a huge thanks to the people of Cork North-West for putting their faith in me and voting me in to this House for the next five years. I look forward to representing them as best I can. I also wish to take this opportunity to thank my family, friends, neighbours, relations and all the Fine Gael family who supported me throughout the campaign. It is very much appreciated.
I wish to ask the Minister for sport for an update on the sports capital grant appeals for County Cork and if he will provide a statement on the matter.
Comhghairdeas leis an Teachta.
I congratulate Deputy O'Shea on a very strong election result. I wish him well in his term of office.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 11 together. The programme for Government, in which the Deputy had a role in negotiations, commits to supporting the sporting ecosystem so that more people can participate in and reap the benefits of sport and fulfil their potential from grassroots right up to high performance level. We will achieve this through a number of measures, including maintaining sports funding to get more people participating in all levels of sport, particularly targeting cohorts in society where there are lower than average participation levels. This includes people with disabilities and older people. Sport adds so much to our lives as spectators, grassroots participants or those who excel in their field. Government investment means our participants have good facilities at their disposal and can train to compete to the best of their ability, whatever that is. Government investment in sports is visible in our clubs and facilities. It is also visible in the achievements of our athletes at the highest levels, as we saw with the successful summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Government is committed to continuing to increase its investment during our time in office.
In terms of the funding in place, the community sport facilities fund, CSFF, is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment. CSFF grants provide new or improved facilities, helping people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in clubs, who benefit greatly from this. In September 2024, €230 million was invested in grants for sports clubs and facilities under phase 2 of the community sport facilities fund. More than a quarter of a billion euro was also allocated to community sports clubs and facilities in total in 2024, taking account of the earlier equipment-only allocations.
There were 3,211 applications for the 2023 round, 365 of which were from organisations in the Deputy's county of Cork. In September, allocations were confirmed and the amount allocated to Cork organisations was just over €29.5 million. Given the scale of funding available and the time required to assess all local applications, the recommended allocation amounts for valid local applications were calculated using the Pobal index as the primary calculation factor. The scoring system for regional applications was designed to reward applications from disadvantaged areas, applications that showed evidence of sharing and those that had engaged with the planning process. All invalid applicants were offered a three-week period to appeal the Department's decision, the deadline for which was 29 October. For every appeal, the application was reviewed by an officer other than the original assessor. All appellants have now been informed of the outcome of their appeals.
In line with previous rounds of the programme, a review of the current funding round will now be undertaken. That review will be used to inform the timing of the next round of the community sport facilities fund. I anticipate that the next round should be announced early in 2026, with the consideration of the applications to follow and an announcement of funding later in 2026. So far, the pattern has been that, every two years approximately, there is a new round of allocations to clubs. I expect a similar timeline again.
I thank the Minister of State for his response. It is great there will be further investment in the wider sport area in the lifetime of this Government, especially in 2025-2026. On the sports capital allocations, it is good that appeals from County Cork have been dealt with and a number have been successful. The ones that were unsuccessful will be able to bid again in 2026, as the Minister of State said. It is important this round of funding is completed and that we prepare for the next round of funding, which is important to clubs. The amount of investment in our towns and villages has been remarkable. It has been seen the length and breadth of Cork North-West and the country.
I have a query about the timescale. It is about sports organisations' planning. In the Minister of State's reply, he said the next round will start in 2026. When in 2026 will it be?
Is it going to be in the first or second quarter? This is about organisations preparing plans and making sure they have gone through the whole planning process. It is about target dates.
The Minister of State also raised the issue of disadvantaged areas but I am not clear that we are putting enough effort in to giving funding to disadvantaged areas. We have a problem in that we do not have the expertise in some areas to fill out applications and we do not have any scheme in place to assist organisations in those areas with making those applications. It is extremely important to ensure in the next round of grant applications that support mechanisms are put in place to help those disadvantaged areas.
I thank Deputies Burke and O'Shea. I expect it to be spring 2026 when we open up for applications to be submitted and the expectation is that funding will be made available in the autumn period. That is certainly the timeline to which we are working.
On Deputy Burke's point, we have just completed the appeals process and are now reviewing the operation and impact of it and how the whole process works. We want to make sure it is amended in any way necessary so that it works as effectively as possible for those applying and in terms of the impact and end return. We have seen phenomenal investment in sport and community facilities. Any funding we put into this gives an immense return to each community and is leveraged very strongly by every sporting organisation. It is fair to say that across the board over the past generation we have seen a transformation in the sporting facilities we have in this country. We have also seen a transformation in the administration and governance of sport across all sporting organisations and that journey continues as we try to improve and develop further.
We are very open to listening to any suggestions the Deputies, other Members of the Oireachtas or, indeed, clubs or anyone within the sporting sector might have to ensure the process works as effectively as possible next time around.
It is good to see that a date has been set for spring 2026 for an announcement of the next round of funding. A lot of clubs that were not successful this time around will be waiting in anticipation. They will have the opportunity to prepare now in terms of planning permission and getting themselves in train to prepare for the application process itself. It is a tough application process, there is no doubt about it. It was reviewed previously and I welcome the fact the Department is going to review it further with a view to simplifying it more for applicants. That is particularly important in the context of Deputy Burke's point about disadvantaged areas. It is hugely important that we try to assist those communities with the application process because it is difficult. It is all online now and trying to get planning permission and other arrangements in place can be hugely difficult for those communities. I welcome the fact the Minister of State is open to taking some of our suggestions on board over the next couple of months.
Regarding disadvantaged areas, while there are some in my constituency of Cork North-Central on the northside of the city, in fairness to all of the sporting organisations and the local authorities, they have been very proactive about grants. However, I did come across difficulties in Dublin. For instance, one of projects in which I was involved was the opening of Merchant's Quay supervised injection facility, and in that whole area of Dublin there are no facilities of any description for young people. There is a primary school in the area attended by a lot of young people but they have no facilities of any description. That is the kind of thing I am talking about, where we need to open up to those areas that have not received any kind of funding over the past 15 or 20 years. It is something the Department needs to consider.
That is certainly something I will take on board in terms of making sure support is available for those who might need it so that their applications meet the criteria and are put together correctly. That is obviously important in terms of ensuring a successful outcome for applicants. In the most recent round of funding, the Department provided opportunities for clubs that were not successful to engage closely with the appeals process to determine the reasons and see if they could be rectified. It is fair to say that only a very small number of clubs did not get a grant and it was very clearly because they were not meeting the criteria at the time or some of the key requirements were not in place. There would have been engagement and it is important this was the case, but if there is any way we can strengthen that, we certainly will.
I thank Deputies O'Shea and Burke who are very strong advocates for sport in Cork and in their local communities and for the development of facilities there. As a Government, we are massively committed to following through and seeing the investment that was made last October manifesting in improved facilities and services on the ground and to building further on that. The other key issue as we go forward for the next round is making sure that, where there are gaps for certain sports in particular parts of the country, we try to plug those gaps so that everyone has the opportunity to participate in the sports they are passionate about in their local communities and that the facilities and services are in place. We must also look to see how we can further develop communal, municipal and community approaches to sports facilities which can be utilised by several sporting organisations so that we maximise and leverage the facilities that are in a locality. We need to make sure, for example, that we are working with the schools system as well so that we get the maximum impact from investments being made by local clubs, local volunteers and the State to get the maximum benefit for local communities.
Question No. 7 taken with Written Answers.
Arts Council
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:8. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the precise date on which his Department was first made aware of problems with the IT project of the Arts Council; if he is satisfied with the decision by his Department’s officials not to inform the then Minister or Secretary General of the problems and the associated financial loss of almost €7 million; who is being held responsible for this waste; and what the consequences, if any, will be. [10183/25]
This question relates to the Arts Council and the IT project. I am trying to find out, once and for all, when the Department was informed of problems with it, who is being held responsible and what the consequences are. This comes on foot of several questions I posed to the Minister previously to which I never received a full answer.
The Arts Council business transformation project has cost almost €7 million and resulted in a significant loss to the Exchequer. This loss has highlighted governance issues in the Arts Council and significant lapses in oversight by the Department, which was informed from early 2021 of challenges in progressing the business transformation project and which received periodic updates at further stages of the project. I assure Deputy Ó Snodaigh and the House that I am not satisfied - quite the contrary - with the decisions of officials not to inform the then Minister or the Secretary General and am determined to ensure the issues highlighted are urgently addressed.
It is clear from the report on the examination of the Arts Council business transformation project commissioned by my Department that while there were flows of information to the Department, no progress report issued to the then Minister or the Secretary General in respect of this project prior to the summer of 2024, either directly from the Arts Council or from within my Department. This report details the evolution of the project, the decision-making process and the flows of information between the Arts Council and the Department. For example, the report highlights that the council had sent the Department an update report for the April 2021 stakeholder board meeting. That showed that the project was tracking red and that its launch was postponed from the original April 2021 launch date to an interim launch in November 2021 and a full launch in April 2022. It also stated that project delays would impact the budget and listed key risks to the project.
Accountability is fundamental to public confidence in our public services. Given the importance of the work of the Arts Council, it is critical this confidence is restored. I have recently announced an external review of the governance and organisational culture in the Arts Council. I also presented to Government the draft terms of reference for a review of my own Department’s internal governance operations, focusing on governance, risk and escalation processes. This review will assess the learnings for the Department from the Arts Council project, the adequacy of its risk management procedures and the escalation measures to alert the management board of the Department to relevant issues.
I thank the Minister. I welcome the review and while I am not trying to pre-empt its findings, at the end of the day, the Minister himself just mentioned that, in April 2021, the project was "tracking red" or flagged. Somebody, somewhere did not inform the Minister. Who was responsible? Who was liaising with the Arts Council? Who in the Arts Council was meant to liaise with the Department?
It should not take a review to come up with the person or persons responsible and why they did not act at that stage, when deadlines were not being reached or going to be reached or when, in 2021 and before, it was indicated there was a need to increase the funding to deliver the project. This is what seemed to be indicated at that stage. Who is responsible at this stage?
As Deputy Ó Snodaigh appreciates, I have asked Professor Niamh Brennan, John McCarthy and Margaret Cullen to ascertain once and for all what the Deputy is asking, because they are the same questions I am asking. I am not happy about this at all. I do not think anybody could possibly be happy about it. There is a big systems failure here. This is cold comfort when almost €7 million is gone, most of which cannot be retrieved. There is a big systems failure, not only in the Arts Council but also in the Department, that I have to get to the bottom of and find out how it happened, why it happened, who was responsible, when was it notified and a range of other issues I have included in the terms of reference for the investigation into governance and oversight. There is also our relationship with the Arts Council and the fitness of the Arts Council to be able to carry out major capital investment programmes of this nature. How this whole thing stands today is massively unsatisfactory. I hope the Niamh Brennan report, if I can call it this, will be finished soon and that I will be able to come before the House or the committee and lay it before it.
There is also a question as to whether the Arts Council itself, or any such State organisation, should be responsible for such an IT project or whether the projects should be centralised. This is another question. When will the review be completed? The Minister made the point that not much of this project can be retrieved. What can be retrieved? Is there any indication at this early stage of how much money can be retrieved? What are the consequences? Will this colossal waste of taxpayers' money, which could have been well spent on other projects or even properly spent on this project, have consequences? In particular, this was aimed at artists and making it easy for artists to interact with the Arts Council. They are down because they do not have this system. They do not have the computerisation system they want to be able to access the Arts Council.
I will take the final point Deputy Ó Snodaigh raised first. The existing system is working. It might not be great but it is working. It might be cumbersome and clunky but it is working. I will not be in favour of any further investment in ICT until, to put it in basic terms, I am assured those who are getting the investment know what they are doing. Of the €7 million spent on this, to be honest about it for the benefit of the House, I do not think any of it can be recovered, and I am being very honest. There are also questions for the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer with regard to how we do ICT projects and who does them. Do we do them centrally or at agency level? Agency staff are paid good salaries and are responsible to the House under legislation to make sure the money we vote from here is properly spent. I should not have to micromanage every agency under my remit, but if it comes to a situation where we have to restructure, reorganise and micromanage for short periods, it is something we cannot rule out.
Cúrsaí Tithíochta
Conor D McGuinness
Question:9. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Conor D. McGuinness den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán cad atá á dhéanamh chun dul i ngleic leis an ngéarchéim thithíochta sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. [10111/25]
Tá ceist curtha síos agam mar gheall ar an ngéarchéim tithíochta sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Ar ndóigh, tá an ghéarchéim tithíochta fud fad an Stáit ag cur an-chuid daoine, go háirithe clanna óga, i gcruachás ach is bagairt eiseach nó existential threat í dár bpobail sna ceantair Ghaeltacht. Cad atá á dhéanamh ag an Rialtas? Cathain a bheidh toradh ar an méid sin?
Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Teachta as ucht a thoghcháin. Tá súil agam go n-éireoidh leis anseo sa Dáil ar son mhuintir Phort Láirge. Mar a dúirt mé ar ball, tuigfidh an Teachta go bhfuil cúrsaí Gaeltachta agus Gaelainne le haistriú chuig an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, sna seachtainí amach romhainn nuair a dhéanfar na horduithe cuí a shíneadh. Tá an Bille um Údarás na Gaeltachta (Leasú), 2024, a chríochnaigh an Dara Céim i nDáil Éireann roimh ollthoghchán na bliana seo caite, curtha ar ais le déanaí le cur san áireamh i ngnó na Dála reatha. Leanfar leis an mBille seo a chur ar aghaidh trí Thithe an Oireachtais i mbliana. Soláthraíonn an Bille an chumhacht don údarás tailte atá ina sheilbh a chur ar fáil do chomhlachtaí ceadaithe tithíochta, AHBs i mBéarla, nó d'údaráis áitiúla chun tithíocht a sholáthar sa Ghaeltacht. Ag an am céanna, tá Údarás na Gaeltachta ag obair le páirtithe leasmhara chun dul i ngleic le dúshláin éagsúla maidir le soláthar agus cur ar fáil tithíochta i gceantair Ghaeltachta. Tuigtear dom go bhfuil cúrsaí pleanála mar mhír sheasta ar chlár oibre gach cruinniú de chuid bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta ó mhí na Nollag 2023.
Ba cheart dom aird an Teachta a tharraingt ar ghealltanas sa chlár Rialtais go bhfoilseofar treoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta. Tá obair shuntasach déanta cheana féin ag an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta i gcomhairle leis an Roinn chun na treoirlínte seo a fhorbairt. Tógfar ar an obair seo sna míonna amach romhainn d'fhonn na treoirlínte a fhoilsiú chomh luath agus is féidir. Tá an grúpa oibre seo ag cíoradh an phróisis phleanála sa Ghaeltacht chun struchtúr agus cleachtais a aontú chun an próiseas reatha a fheabhsú. Críochnóidh mé an freagra go luath.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an bhfreagra sin ach ní inniu ná inné a thit an ghéarchéim seo amach. Táimid ag feitheamh le freagra agus le gníomh ón Rialtas agus ón Rialtas a bhí ann cheana féin. Is athrá ar na geallúintí a bhí sa chlár Rialtais deireanach atá sa chlár Rialtais reatha. Tuigimid go bhfuil na treoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta seo dréachtaithe. Tá siad i scríbhinn ach níl siad feicthe ag aon duine. Níl siad feicthe ar an taobh seo den Teach. Ní fheadar an bhfuil siad feicthe ag cúlbhinseoirí an Aire féin. Níl siad feicthe ag muintir na Gaeltachta. Tá siad ag súil go mór leis seo. Táimid ag iarraidh go mbeadh cumhachtaí leithne agus acmhainní breise curtha ar fáil don Roinn agus d'Údarás na Gaeltachta ionas gur féidir leo dul i ngleic leis an ngéarchéim seo. Nílimid ag iarraidh na treoirlínte pleanála amháin ach beart de réir briathair i dtaobh soláthar tithíocht inacmhainne agus sóisialta.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Mar is eol don Chathaoirleach Gníomhach agus don Teachta Ó Snodaigh go háirithe, rinne mé a lán oibre maidir leis an gceist seo nuair a bhí mar Aire Stáit le freagracht as an nGaeltacht sa Rialtas deireanach. Tuigim cé chomh tábhachtach atá sé ach, ar an gcéad dul síos, is ceist don Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta é. Tá an-chuid oibre déanta ag Údarás na Gaeltachta agus ag an aonad i Roinn nua an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, le linn tréimhse an Rialtais dheireanaigh. Tuigim cé chomh tábhachtach atá sé. Níl aon amhras go bhfuil sé an-tábhachtach don dream óg agus do dhaoine a bhfuil suim acu a bheith ina gcónaí sna ceantair Ghaeltacht cead pleanála a fháil agus tithe a fhorbairt. Tá an Rialtas agus páirtí an Teachta féin ar an leathanach céanna ar an ábhar sin. Tá súil agam go mbeidh an fhadhb sin réitithe go luath.
An bhfuil an tAire ag rá go bhfuil an srian agus an bac ar fhoilsiú na dtreoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta bainteach leis an Roinn tithíochta agus nach bhfuil sé ag teacht ó Roinn na Gaeltachta? Is nuacht é sin domsa. Mar dhuine atá ag maireachtáil sa Ghaeltacht agus a bhfuil clann á thógáil aige i nGaeltacht na nDéise, feicim mo chomharsana, mo chomhghleacaithe agus mo chairde síos leis an ngéarchéim seo. Ní féidir leo maireachtáil, clann a thosú nó a bheith ina gcónaí ina bpobal féin. Tá sé sin ag cur todhchaí na Gaeltachta i mbaol. Tá beart de réir briathair ag teastáil anois. Foilsigh na treoirlínte seo agus cur ar fáil láithreach na hacmhainní agus cumhachtaí breise atá ag teastáil ón údarás chun gur féidir leis dul i ngleic leis seo.
Tuigim an cheist atá á cur os comhair na Dála ag an Teachta ach is ceist don Roinn tithíochta ceist na dtreoirlínte ar an gcéad dul síos.
Beidh na hAirí, na Teachtaí Calleary agus Browne, ag obair go luath chun an t-ábhar sin a réiteach. Mar is eol don Teachta, agus mar a dúirt mé cheana féin, tá an t-aonad atá ag obair le cúrsaí Gaeltachta agus Gaeilge imithe ó mo Roinn. Níl amhras orm go bhfuil sé an-tábhachtach don Aire, an Teachta Calleary, an t-ábhar sin a réiteach mar tá Gaeltacht ina Dháilcheantar féin i gContae Mhaigh Eo.
Question No. 10 taken with Written Answers.
Question No. 11 taken with Question No. 6.
Road Projects
Aindrias Moynihan
Question:13. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aindrias Moynihan den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán nuashonrú a thabhairt maidir leis an bplean chun scéim na mbóithre áise a chur ar fáil; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [10120/25]
Is cúis mhór áthais é dúinn go bhfuil scéim na mbóithre áise geallta mar chuid den chlár Rialtais amach romhainn. Bhí mo chomhghleacaithe agus mé féin ag brú go mbeadh sí san áireamh. Beidh sí an-tairbheach do mhuintir na Gaeltachta nuair a chuirfear i bhfeidhm í. An bhféadfadh an tAire tuairisc a thabhairt ar an gcur chuige chun an scéim sin a chur i bhfeidhm, ar na treoirlínte agus ar aon tuairimíocht atá aige mar gheall ar rith na scéime sin?
Tá an t-ádh ar an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, mar níl aon cheist faighte agam faoi láthair trí mheán an Bhéarla. Cé go bhfuil roinnt de na ceisteanna trí mheán na Gaeilge, tá mé ag déanamh mo dhícheall na ceisteanna a phlé amach.
Ar aon nós, tá scéim na mbóithre áise curtha ar fionraí le roinnt blianta anuas. Faoin scéim sin, chuirtí airgead ar fáil do na húdaráis áitiúla ar mhaithe le hobair dheisiúcháin a dhéanamh ar bhóithre cáilithe faoi leith sa Ghaeltacht. Idir an dá linn, bhí agus tá maoiniú ar fáil faoin scéim feabhsaithe áitiúil de chuid na Roinne Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail chun cabhrú le húdaráis áitiúla obair fheabhsúcháin a dhéanamh ar bhóithre neamhphoiblí agus ar bhóithre nach ndéantar cothabháil phoiblí orthu sa ghnáthbhealach. Tuigtear dom go gcaithfidh an bóthar i gceist a bheith ag dul chuig árais chónaithe, talamh feirme nó suíomh thaitneamhacha ar nós locha, aibhneacha nó tránna. Tá breis eolas le fáil ar shuíomh na Roinne sin.
Tá geallta sa chlár Rialtais nua go dtabharfar scéim na mbóithre áise ar ais. Níl aon mheicníocht chuige sin oibrithe amach go fóill, áfach. Beidh athbhunú na scéime ag brath, dár ndóigh, ar airgead a bheith curtha ar fáil chuige sin do na blianta amach romhainn trí phróiseas na Meastachán. Tuigfidh an Teachta nach bhfuil Meastachán 2026 fiú tosaithe go fóill.
Cuirfidh scéim na mbóithre áise go mór le hinfreastruchtúr agus le caighdeán maireachtála phobail na Gaelainne. Is é an chéad cúpla méadar den bóthar ar a mbíonn daoine ag taisteal gach maidin agus an píosa deireanach den bhóthar ar a mbíonn siad ag taisteal sa tráthnóna atá i gceist. Is deis é seo chun na píosaí sin a fheabhsú. Glacaim leis go bhfuil sé luath go leor go fóill. An bhfuil an tAire in ann a rá cé acu Roinn na Gaeltachta nó na comhairlí contae a bheidh ag láimhseáil na n-iarratas agus an srutha airgid seo? An bhfuil aon leagan amach nó aon tuairimíocht mar gheall air sin? Tá sé fíorthábhachtach go mbeidh scéim na mbóithre áise ag feidhmiú in éineacht leis an scéim feabhsaithe áitiúil ionas go mbeidh buntáiste ag pobail na Gaeltachta, seachas scéim amháin nó scéim eile a bheith ar fáil dóibh.
Níl mé in ann an cheist sin a fhreagairt. B’fhéidir go mbeidh seans ag an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, an rud sin a réiteach nuair a bheidh sé ag freagairt na gceisteanna eile maidir leis an Roinn nua, a mbeidh freagracht na Gaeltachta faoina cúram. Tuigim, áfach, cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an cheist sin maidir leis na mbóithre sna ceantair Ghaeltachta mar chaith mé tréimhse sa Ghaeltacht nuair a bhí mé i m’Aire Stáit leis an Teachta Moynihan agus leis an iarTheachta Creed agus an pobal i gCorcaigh. Mar sin, tuigim cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an scéim. Tá sé geallta sa clár Rialtas go n-aontófar an scéim sin go luath.
Tá an tAire tagtha chuig an chéad ábhar eile ansin nuair a deir sé go n-aontófar í go luath. Is dócha gurb í an cheist is mó atá ag a lán daoine ná cathain a bheidh an scéim ann. An bhfuil a fhios ag an Aire an bhfuil sé in aigne go mbeidh sí ar fáil i gcomhair an chéad cáinaisnéis eile agus go mbeidh daoine ábalta iarratais a dhéanamh in 2025 i gcomhair oibreacha, b’fhéidir, in 2026? Cé go nglacaim leis go bhfuil sé luath go leor fós agus nach bhfuil ach roinnt den obair tosaithe ar na scéimeanna nua agus ar spriocanna an chlár Rialtais a bhaint amach, is ceann an-tábhachtach í seo i gcomhair phobail na Gaeltachta go bhféadfaí a chur i bhfeidhm chomh luath agus is féidir.
Is dócha go bhfuil an deis ann chun riachtanais na scéime a leagan síos. Tá sé fíorthábhachtach go mbeidh sí in éineacht leis an scéim feabhsaithe áitiúil agus nach mbeidh sí ag glacadh a háite. Caithfidh go mbeidh sí ar fáil gan puinn sriana agus go mbeidh deis ag an-chuid de phobal na Gaeltachta í a chur i bhfeidhm.
Tuigim an cheist. Mar a dúirt mé cheana féin, tá sé soiléir sa chlár Rialtais go mbeidh an t-ábhar sin réitithe ag an Rialtas. Ar an gcéad dul síos, is ábhar é a luíonn leis an Aire nua, an Teachta Calleary, agus é ag obair leis an Roinn caiteachais phoiblí i bpróiseas an bhuiséad. B’fhéidir go mbeidh seans aige nuair a bheidh sé ag labhairt sa Dáil agus ag freagairt ceisteanna níos mó eolais a chur os comhair na Dála mar a bhaineann leis an scéim seo.
Urban Development
James Geoghegan
Question:12. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if his Department could help support the Dublin city task force recommendation for a meanwhile-use strategy for privately owned lands in Dublin city centre to utilise the city’s vacant space for musical, artistic and cultural events, artists workspaces, community spaces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10058/25]
I wish to ask the Minister if his Department could support the Dublin city task force recommendation for a meanwhile-use strategy for privately owned lands in Dublin city centre to utilise the city's vacant space for musical, artistic and cultural events, artists' workspaces, community spaces, and if he will make a statement.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Go n-éirí leis mar Theachta Dála do Bhaile Átha Cliath. I hope he has a very enjoyable time here as a Member of the Dáil.
Our Department is a member of the interdepartmental group on the report of the Dublin city task force, which is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach. This group is devising a roadmap for delivery of the recommendations contained in the task force’s report. The membership of the group includes Dublin City Council, which leads in the area of meanwhile-use in Dublin city centre. My Department will continue to engage with the council and other stakeholders to ensure that all opportunities for additional creative and cultural spaces are maximised.
The issue of meanwhile-use is a key action in the report of the night-time economy task force co-ordinated by the Department. This report is a cross-government report containing a number of actions across a broad range of issues associated with the night-time economy. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is leading an examination of the practical implications of meanwhile-use for planning and other legislative codes to enable the potential for buildings to be used for night-time cultural activities, as well as looking at alternative uses for those spaces by day.
Significant progress is being made in this area and this work will feed into the review of the planning and development regulations that has commenced following the enactment of the Planning and Development Act on 17 October 2024. Feedback from a stakeholder consultation process with relevant Government and sectoral stakeholders may also feed into the development of any plans for a strategy in Dublin city.
My Department also provides the funding for a full-time night-time adviser post in Dublin City Council as part of a network of nine night-time advisers across the country. The adviser has an ambitious plan, with funding provided by my Department and other stakeholders, to create a dynamic, inclusive and vibrant nightlife in Dublin city centre. Many of these priorities closely align with the priorities identified in the task force report, particularly in the areas of increased cultural activity, safety and accessibility. The adviser will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure that this ambition is realised and will play a key role in supporting any meanwhile-use strategy for the city.
I will continue to work with Dublin City Council and all of the stakeholders to promote a more vibrant and sustainable night-time economy.
I thank the Minister, and I wish him well in his brief as well. I thank him for his reply. It is very encouraging to see both the alignment of the existing night-time strategy with the recommendations that were already in the Dublin city task force, and the emphasis that both the Minister and the Department have placed on the use of meanwhile-use strategies.
Ultimately, when we talk about the challenges in Dublin city around safety and security, it is not just a policing problem. Yes, we need more gardaí on our streets. Yes, we need more arrests, detections and prosecutions but everybody who works and lives in the city, and everyone who visits the city, recognises that the challenges for Dublin city are much greater than simply a justice problem. A big element of this is about giving people good reasons to come into the city.
A huge part of the cultural offering that Dublin can offer could be delivered through an aggressive meanwhile-use strategy, in particular by imposing on private landlords to use their vacant buildings for cultural uses.
I do not disagree at all with what the Deputy has said. There is a role for the public sector here as well. It is clear that not all of our public buildings are being maximised to the full potential that they have. Since Covid, we know that more and more people are working from home and we still have the same level of building space and one has to ask whether they are being used for their full potential. There is no doubt about it.
It is not just a night-time issue. If one speaks to anybody running a coffee shop or sandwich bar in Dublin - this is not just a Dublin issue; it is an urban issue across the country - they will say that they are facing massive challenges with regard to the changed working environment and what that means for their turnover. It also creates a question with regard to how we are using our space as property owners and whether it is being used to the most effective use possible. It should not be restricted to just the private sector, and I know the Deputy is not suggesting that either. The public sector has a big role to play in this. Certainly, as a landowner and property owner in the city, the State has a big role in it too.
One of the biggest examples of that would be the GPO itself. The task force report includes a recommendation that by the end of the first quarter of this year, decisions will be made on what use the GPO will be put to. More than 800 people used to work in that place. When they left that place, that reduced the number of people coming into an area of our city that has proven to be the most challenging when it comes to antisocial behaviour and crime. It is such an historic and beautiful building. There are so many uses that it could be put to. Yes, people from the Civil Service could be redeployed into that building, but there are some bigger ideas too, not least having elements of RTÉ or other museums move into that building. Does the Minister have his own thoughts as to how the GPO could be put to best use?
I agree with Deputy Geoghegan on this matter. Many derelict sites in this city could be used not just for artistic purposes but also for allotments. We need to look at that and ensure that, somehow or other, we incentivise those who are hoarding land in this city to make use of it. First of all it should be used for residential property, but if a project is delayed for a year or two, we should be able to find uses for these buildings and ensure that artists in particular can find the space, which they do not have at the moment, to practise their crafts.
I agree with Deputy Ó Snodaigh, which will not come as a shock to him. As a good Newcastle West man, I would have to agree with him. Dereliction is an issue that the local authorities have been empowered by this House for donkey's years to deal with. It is not just a Dublin city issue; there are derelict sites all over the country. Our local authorities have ample powers and access to money that they did not have before. It begs the question why they are not doing more. I said a while ago that the Minister for Health cannot know every thermometer in every hospital in the country. Councils are elected to deal with derelict sites in the first instance. They have powers and money and they should deal with it.
With regard to the GPO, I am a former Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works. The GPO is an enormous building and what is seen from the front is really only a facade. There is a massive building behind it and it has a huge potential. It is contained within the national development plan, and I would love to see it being a real driver of O'Connell Street. I stay on O'Connell Street when I stay in Dublin. It is quite sad at the moment and it needs the GPO as a lift in the middle. That will have to be planned with all parties as part of it. I hope we do not go down the road we went down previously when people were divided on other national monuments and things because the GPO is something on which we should not divide.
Meath na Gaeltachta
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:14. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán an aithneoidh sé go bhfuil géarchéim ar leith ag cur le bánú na Gaeltachta mar thoradh ar easpa tithíochta; an ndéanfaidh sé dáta agus sonraí a thabhairt maidir leis an bplé deireanach a bhí ag a Roinn leis an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta maidir leis na treoirlínte don phleanáil sa Ghaeltacht a bhí geallta faoin Rialtas deireanach; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [10184/25]
Tá an cheist seo dírithe ar cheist a d'ardaigh mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Conor D. McGuinness, cheana féin maidir leis an ngéarchéim tithíochta. Is é an chéad rud ná le haithint go bhfuil géarchéim ann. Má aithníonn an Rialtas é sin, cad atá na hAirí ag déanamh maidir leis an gceist seo? Chuala mé an freagra a thug sé níos luaithe, ach sa chás seo, céard iad na dátaí agus na sonraí maidir leis an gcaidreamh idir an dá Roinn le tamall de bhlianta anuas ó thaobh treoirlínte pleanála?
Cé go bhfuil tús feidhme fós le cur leis an Acht um Pleanáil agus Forbairt 2024,, is faoin Acht sin a thiocfaidh gnóthaí i ndáil le cúrsaí pleanála agus tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht sna blianta amach romhainn. Go príomha, is ag an Aire Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta atá an fhreagracht maidir leis an Acht nua seo, dár ndóigh. Faoi réir alt 29(1) den Acht nua, is gá go ndéanfar foráil i straitéis spáis agus eacnamaíoch réigiúnach chun oidhreacht teanga agus chultúrtha na Gaeltachta a chosaint. Faoin Acht reatha, cuireann údaráis phleanála a bhfuil Gaeltacht faoina gcúram acu iarratais phleanála chuig an Roinn - Roinn an Aire, an Teachta Calleary - i gcásanna go bhféadfaidís tionchar a imirt ar nósmhaireacht teanga na Gaeltachta dá gceadófaí iad. Déanann an Roinn aighneachtaí maidir leis na hiarratais seo de réir mar is gá.
Chun cur le héifeacht na reachtaíochta pleanála, cuireadh tús tamall ó shin le próiseas i dtreo treoirlínte nua a fhorbairt maidir le pleanáil sa Ghaeltacht. Tá cainteanna leanúnacha ar bun idir an Roinn agus an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta ó 2022 ina leith seo. Tionóladh an cruinniú is déanaí ar an ábhar seo inné. Ar ndóigh beidh sé seo ag teacht faoin Aire, an Teachta Calleary, mar chuid dá chúraimí nua.
Bíonn teagmháil rialta idir na páirtithe leasmhara ag leibhéal sinsearach agus leanann an obair ar aghaidh chun na treoirlínte seo a thabhairt chun críche. Ach na treoirlínte a bheith aontaithe ag an ngrúpa oibre lorgófar tuairimí ón bpobal trí chomhairliúcháin phoiblí. Is fiú a lua freisin go bhfuil Údarás na Gaeltachta ag obair le páirtithe leasmhara chomh maith chun dul i ngleic le dúshláin éagsúla maidir le soláthar agus infhaighteacht tithíochta i gceantair Ghaeltachta.
Déanann sé sin beagáinín níos soiléire agus b'fhéidir beagáinín níos doiléire é. Thar na blianta, chuir mé an cheist seo ar an Aire go minic, agus, i gceart dó, thug sé freagra lom amach dom ar an gceist seo maidir leis an moill i gcónaí agus cuireadh an milleán ar an Roinn tithíochta. Ansin, chuir mé an cheist ar an Aire, an Teachta Ó Brien, a bhí i gceannas ar thithíocht ag an am, agus chuir sé an milleán ar ais ar an Aire. Tá sé ag dul siar agus ar ais agus b'fhéidir go bhfuil an t-ádh ar an Aire anois nach mbeidh na feidhmeanna seo air agus is féidir leis an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, an freagra céanna a thabhairt dom. Sin mar dealraíonn sé ag don dream atá ag féachaint isteach ar an áit seo - go bhfuil Aire amháin ag cur an mhilleáin ar an Aire eile. Sa deireadh thiar thall, dúradh linn in 2021 go mbeidh siad seo foilsithe sár i bhfad, agus anois faigheann muid freagra nua gach sé mhí. Cad é an dáta a shíleann an tAire a mbeidh siad foilsithe?
Mar is eol don Teachta, is é an tAire tithíochta an tAire a bhfuil freagracht don pholasaí tithíochta sa Dáil seo air. Tá an rud sin soiléir. Maidir leis an rud a rinne mé, tá a fhios ag an Teachta go ndearna mé mo dhícheall an cheist sin a réiteach nuair a bhí mé i Roinn na Gaeltachta ag obair leis an Aire, an Teachta O'Brien. Tá súil agam go mbeidh an tAire, an Teachta Calleary, in ann teacht os comhair na Dála go luath leis an Aire, an Teachta Browne, chun an cheist sin a réiteach. Níl aon amhras orm go bhfuil sé sin an-tábhachtach agus sa fhreagra a thug mé cheana féin don Teachta McGuinness ó Phort Láirge luaigh mé cé chomh tábhachtach is atá sé. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil an tAire, an Teachta Calleary, ag obair ar an ábhar sin mar tá ceantair Gaeltachta i gContae Mhaigh Eo aige agus tuigeann sé cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an cheist seo.
Aithním go bhfuil spéis ar leith ag an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, sa cheist seo. Bhí sé ar an gcoiste nuair a bhíomar ag déanamh plé ar an gceist seo tamall de bhlianta ó shin. Tá súil agam go n-éireoidh leis. Is trua go bhfuilimid ag an stad ina bhfuilimid, go bhfuilimid trí nó ceithre bliana imithe ón uair a dúradh go mbeadh na treoirlínte seo againn. Ní thógann sé sin ón bhfadhb atá ann. Caithfimid bogadh air seo agus a bheith cinnte. In ainneoin nach mbeidh an dualgas seo ar an Aire, an Teachta O'Donovan, tá dualgas air mar is Aire Rialtais é. Caithfimid déanamh cinnte de go mbeidh sé seo ag tarlú, ní i gceann sé mhí nó sin, mar níl anseo ach na treoirlínte, ansin caithfear díriú isteach ar an údarás, ar Uisce Éireann agus ar na bainc nó aon duine chun an t-airgead a chur ar fáil gur féidir le daoine tithe a thógáil i gceantair Ghaeltachta.
Tuigim an ról atá agam faoi láthair mar Aire sa Rialtas, ach ag am céanna tuigfidh an Teachta go bhfuil an t-aonad Gaeltachta agus Gaelainne imithe ó mo Roinn. Níl siad ann. Tá an t-aonad ag obair leis an Aire, an Teachta Calleary. Níl aon dabht orm ach go bhfuil an tAire, an Teachta Calleary ag tnúth leis an gcéad uair ina mbeidh sé os comhair an choiste agus i dteagmháil leis na Teachtaí Ó Snodaigh agus Moynihan, leis an gCathaoirleach agus le pé Theachta eile a bhfuil suim aige nó aici i gcúrsaí Gaeltachta agus Gaelainne.
Swimming Pools
Matt Carthy
Question:15. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the steps that Monaghan County Council should take to secure funding for a swimming pool in Carrickmacross. [10204/25]
Louis O'Hara
Question:49. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what assistance his Department can provide to support the development of public swimming pools in towns such as Loughrea, County Galway, where there is a need for such facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8895/25]
What support can the Minister of State and his Department provide to support the development of public swimming pools, particularly in the town of Loughrea in my constituency? The Minister of State might be aware that there have been efforts for some time to develop a public swimming pool there but there are challenges with funding to get this project off the ground.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 49 together.
I congratulate Deputy O'Hara on his election and thank him for the question. I know there is a similar question about Carrickmacross from Deputy Carthy. My Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, the community sports facilities fund, formerly known as the sports capital and equipment fund, and the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF. Capital support for new swimming pools is now provided through the LSSIF. Projects for new swimming pools and the refurbishment of existing swimming pools are eligible to apply for grant funding under the LSSIF subject to the published guidelines and conditions of the scheme. While the scheme is aimed primarily at national governing bodies, NGBs, and local authorities, it is also open to other bodies, including third level institutions, philanthropic funders, clubs and voluntary organisations to apply but such applications would necessarily have to be made and prioritised by a local authority or an NGB.
The total investment from the large scale sport infrastructure fund since 2020 amounts to €297 million, with 68 projects receiving funding allocations, including nine swimming pool projects. The second round of the LSSIF, which commenced in April 2024, received an unprecedented demand for funding, amounting to €665 million from 96 different applications. In November 2024, grants totalling €173 million were announced, benefiting 35 individual projects, so 35 of the 96 which applied were funded through that. It is noted that no application was received for Loughrea swimming pool, although I know there has been local discussion about it. A number of representations have come in from the local area and from Government representatives about the potential for a swimming pool there. I encourage any prospective applicants to review the scheme guidelines and key priorities included as part of the 2024 round of LSSIF as part of their preparatory process for a future LSSIF round. These documents are readily accessible on the Department's website. It is important to note that while those resources can serve as a helpful reference, any new guidelines and conditions associated with a future round of the programme may differ from the previous round.
Ireland's first national swimming strategy was published in August last year and sets out a vision to provide everyone in our country with an opportunity to swim. Its publication follows commitments made under the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 and the Sports Action Plan 2021-2023. A key focus of the policy is on providing improved facilities. Swim Ireland, as the national governing body for swimming, is currently undertaking an analysis of the type and nature of swimming pool ownership in the country and will publish a report outlining this in the coming period. This report will be central to the future development of swimming pool facilities. Regarding a new round of the LSSIF, I am committed to ensuring sustained investment in sports facilities to meet our ambitious goals for sports participation nationwide. The programme for Government commits to maintaining sports funding to get more people participating in all levels of sport, particularly targeting cohorts in society where there are lower than average participation levels, including people with disabilities and older people.
I thank the Minister of State. There is a huge need for this in Loughrea. There is no pool within 25 km of the town. The town itself has a population of 6,500, with a further 15,000 or so people in the hinterland. There are five schools in the town and many children who cannot access swimming facilities on an ongoing basis. We know all the health and wellbeing benefits that this kind of project can bring to people with disabilities, the elderly and everybody in the community. There are specific challenges for the swimming pool committee in Loughrea in accessing funding to get a project like this up and running. Significant funding is needed for the initial stages of project development. As it stands, the LSSIF requires a huge contribution from the local authority and it does not assist with project development. That is a particular challenge in County Galway because our local authority has serious funding issues. The Government has consistently underfunded our council. Will this be looked at and will a specific funding stream for pools be considered? A total of 35 out of 96 is not sufficient for the demand in our communities.
It is important that there is engagement locally and that the Deputy works with the local authority in Galway about how this can be stepped out. I know there was a recent meeting about it. I have been speaking with Senators Curley and Rabbitte and Deputy Dolan about it. It is important to engage with the local authority in its capacity to work with the local community to develop the project, and with Swim Ireland too, and to see the capacity of the local authority to help to step it out. A trend I have seen is that Opposition parties often put questions about the capacity of local authorities to do new initiatives, while at the same time, Opposition politicians take steps in local authorities not to take steps on local authority rates and the property tax, for example, which would give them the capacity to bring forward projects in the local area. That needs to be considered locally to give the capacity to bring projects forward. The Government will look to step out further funding to see swimming pools and other sports facilities developed under the LSSIF.
I welcome the Minister of State's willingness to engage with the local authority. Galway County Council has asked Government for support of €3 million to assist it in developing proposals for swimming pools, including project development, site design, and planning permission, to put it in a position to access capital funding. Will that be considered? Can that form part of the Minister of State's discussions with the county council? Like I said, Galway County Council is a particular case and raising the local property tax will not address the significant funding challenges that we have. On a bigger scale, we know that money is available. Investing in the health and wellbeing of our communities is a worthwhile investment. I ask the Minister of State to look at the specific case in Loughrea, to take the funding issues that the council has into account and to engage with it on that request for €3 million for development of facilities.
Comhghairdeas leis an hAirí agus ádh mór leo. The Minister of State spoke about LSSIF funding for those preparing for 2024. Is he speaking about those applications that are already in, such as from Drogheda United and Louth GAA regarding stadium builds which are on the reserve list? When will funding open again? I think this was meant to be an ongoing process because Dundalk F.C. was in a different circumstance at that stage. We know we need huge money for Oriel Park. That is about sustainability. I spoke to the Minister of State before about the issue of sports capital and Clann Naofa Boxing Club. It believes its application was lost. I will get the detail to the Minister of State. Could we find out what exactly happened? There was no contact with the club during the appeals process.
No application was received from Loughrea as part of the LSSIF funding round. It is important, in advance of the next round of LSSIF, the date of which we have not decided yet, that there is engagement at local level about how that project can step forward, working with Galway County Council.
It is not currently open. What we are doing is compiling a reserve list for all of those applications that did not get funding under the most recent LSSIF. As I said, there was €665 million worth of applications and only €173 million of those could be funded, so it was more than three times oversubscribed. A reserve list is being compiled for those and, unlike the position with the sports capital grants, there is a reserve list for the large-scale projects. It is important that at local level, working with Galway County Council and Swim Ireland where appropriate, the preparatory steps are put in place to ensure that, when the LSSIF reopens, it allows for applications to be made.
In response to Deputy Ó Murchú, there is no timeline for a new round yet but a reserve list will be compiled of some of those that were not successful in the most recent round.