With regard to the cultural institutions, the increase achieved in the funding for the national cultural institutions is a measure of this Government's commitment to their development and improvement. I propose to assign a high priority to the funding requirements of the institutions so that they can play their rightful role in the cultural life of the nation. Indeed, I have been asked questions in the past by somebody whom I forgot to mention, the second convenor of the meeting, Deputy Mary Flaherty. I congratulate her and wish her well in her work.
I will give some of the general detail of this. I am happy that we have been able to increase current funding to institutions by 7.9 per cent and capital funding by 17 per cent this year. The latter includes an allocation of over £0.5 million to the National Museum for the completion of a major overhaul of its heating system and for essential work on its roofs. Deputies will appreciate the importance of improvements such as this to an institution such as the National Museum.
With regard to the Irish Film Board, Deputies may be wondering why there is no reference in Vote 42 to the Irish Film Board, notwithstanding the fact that I announced its re-establishment on 30 March last. The answer to this is that the Estimates for 1993 did not anticipate this new policy initiative and that it will be necessary to make separate arrangements for the funding of the film board this year. I am at present investigating the possibilities of sourcing such funding from other agencies, but it may be necessary for me to come back to the Dáil soon for approval of a Supplementary Estimate.
I am sure Deputies will be interested in what has been achieved in the important film and audio-visual industry. The Irish Film Board has been re-established with a dedicated film production fund which is essential for seed financing for sound Irish projects. That is important. I will be delighted to help to develop further areas of the film industry when we deal with legislation in this area.
Policy determination for the services provided by the Office of Public Works in the heritage area is now a function of my Department. This covers policy in regard to national monuments, the care of our wildlife, various parks, and inland waterways. The Office of Public Works continues to be responsible for the day to day operation of these services but in accordance with the general principles, priorities and implementation targets set down by my Department.
It has been agreed that 13 staff from the Office of Public Works will transfer to my Department to establish a unit for the formulation of policy. In the first instance all the legislation relating to national monuments, wildlife parks, waterways, etc., will need to be examined and the major weaknesses identified so that these may be dealt with in amending legislation.
A review will also be made of the main areas where either existing policy needs to be redefined or where new policy needs to be formed. Possible priority areas include the position of interpretation in the field of conservation of both the natural and the built heritage, problems associated with providing access to the heritage and possible conflicts in this area, and the reconciliation as far as possible of the provisions of the planning Acts with those of the national monuments Acts to provide the maximum protection for our common heritage.
One of the first things I did following my appointment as Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht was to meet the National Heritage Council. I believe that an organisation like the council with a policy role in relation to the physical heritage, both natural and built, is essential. I am giving priority to putting the council on a statutory footing.
Maidir le deontais tithíochta, críochnaíodh níos mó ná 100 teach nua sa Ghaeltacht anuraidh. Chomh maith leis sin, críochnaíodh beagnach 650 cás eile a bhain le hoibreacha feabhsúcháin, sláintíochta agus méadaithe. Bhí an-áthas orm gur ceadaíodh méadú le déanaí ar an deontas atá le fáil chun teach nua a thógáil sa Ghaeltacht — go £4,000 ar an mhórthír agus go £6,000 i gcás na n-oileán Gaeltachta amach ón gcósta.
Tá obair nach beag déanta le tamall anuas i dtaca leis an réiteach le haghaidh an dara sraith de na Cistí Structúrtha agus Comhthátaithe ó 1994 ar aghaidh. Tááthas orm a chur in iúl go bhfuil an chosúlacht ann go mbeidh rath ar an obair sin agus go mbeidh buntáistí suntasacha le gnóthú ag an nGaeltacht ó thaobh fhorbairt an bhunstruchtúir de.
Ó thaobh cúrsaí muiroibreacha de, ba mhaith liom tagairt sonrach a dhéanamh don iniúchadh a bhí ar siúl le tamall maith maidir leis na riachtanais don tseirbhís farantóireachta go hInis Meáin agus Inis Oírr. Cúis sásaimh ar leith domsa go bhfuil soláthar £1.5 mhilliún á chur ar fáil agam i Meastacháin na bliana seo chun an chéad chéim den obair a dhéanamh. Tá sé beartaithe go ndéanfar Céim II den togra an bhliain seo chugainn agus go gcuirfear bailchríoch ar an obair go léir i 1995.
Faoi Scéimeanna Cultúrtha agus Sóisialta mo Roinne-se, cuirtear cúnamh nach beag ar fáil gach bliain do thréimhseacháin áitiúla agus don nuachtán seachtainiúil anois.
Maidir le scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge, d'íoc mo Roinnse cúnamh i 1992 i leith breis agus 21,400 foghlaimeoir Gaeilge a chuaigh go dtú an Ghaeltacht chun feabhas a chur ar a gcuid Gaeilge — an líon is mó ariamh.
Tá athbhreithniú iomlán déanta ag mo Roinnse ar an Scéim Dheontas Labhairt na Gaeilge agus beidh scéim nua á tabhairt isteach ón scoilbhliain 1993-94 ar aghaidh.
Ba bhliain dheacair í 1992 maidir le fostaíocht a chruthú agus a chaomhnú sa Ghaeltacht. Cruthaíodh 975 phost nua lánaimseartha i 1992 i dtionscail a fuair cúnamh óÚdarás na Gaeltachta agus, tar éis caillteanais de 920 post a chur san áireamh, bhí méadú glan de 55 phost sa bhliain sin. Ag deireadh 1992 bhí 5,652 dhuine fostaithe go lánaimseartha i dtionscail sa Ghaeltacht faoi scáth an Údaráis agus, chomh maith leis sin, meastar go gcruthófar 1,440 post nua i dtograí ar cheadaigh an tÚdarás cúnamh ina leith anuraidh.
Ta fostaíocht shéasúrach an-tábhachtach don Ghaeltacht agus tháinig méadú de 320 ar líon na bpost sin le linn 1992 go dtí 2,580 duine. Chomh maith leis an bhfostaíocht shéasúrach sin, bhí 77 Scéim Fhostaíochta Shóisialta a raibh luach £1.4 mhilliún ag gabháil leo agus 635 dhuine fostaithe orthu á riaradh ag an Údarás i 1992 i gcomhar le FÁS agus coistíáitiúla Gaeltachta.
Cuireann mo Roinnse cúnamh ar fáil trí Chiste na Gaeilge do Bhord na Gaeilge, do Bhord na Leabhar Gaeilge agus do na heagrais dheonacha Ghaeilge agus is ó fháltais an Chrannchuir Náisiúnta a thagann an t-airgead don chiste.
Tá an-áthas orm gur éirigh liom méadú 20 faoin gcéad a dhéanamh ar an gcúnamh Stáit do Bhord na Gaeilge i mbliana. Tá obair fhiúntach ar mhaithe leis an nGaeilge déanta ag an mbord ó bunaíodh é ar bhonn reachtúil sa bhliain 1978. Ar ndóigh, tá béim ar leith ar chur chun cinn na Gaeilge sa Chlár le haghaidh Rialtas Chomhpháirtíochta agus aithnítear ann gur gá go mbeidh an Stát chun tosaigh in úsáid na Gaeilge a mhéadú.
Cuirtear cúnamh nach beag ar fáil gach bliain do na heagrais deonacha atá ag caitheamh a gcuid dúthrachta go deonach ar son na teanga agus tá an soláthar dóibh méadaithe agam de 12 faoin gcéad don bhliain reacha go dtí£1.96 mhilliún.
Níor mhaith liom an deis seo a ligint tharam gan tréaslú le Conradh na Gaeilge a bhfuil céad bliain slánaithe aige. Tuigimid go léir an dea-obair atá déanta acu thar na mblianta agus tááthas orm go raibh ar mo chumas an £75,000 a d'iarr siad ó mo Roinnse a cheadú dóibh mar chabhair speisialta chun an clár cuimsitheach d'imeachtaí atáá reachtáil acu don chomóradh a chur i bhfeidhm.
Deputies will be aware that the Programme for a Partnership Government 1993-1997 sets out a number of initiatives in the broadcasting area and I have already begun to deliver on these through the introduction of the Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Bill, 1993, which I mentioned earlier. The Bill will remove the 1990 cap on RTE advertising revenue and minutage and will require RTE to spend a specific amount each year on programmes commissioned from the independent production sector.
I have long believed that broadcasting structures in this country are overdue for a comprehensive overhaul and the Bill can be regarded as but a first step in the process. It is designed to address the serious and deteriorating position brought about by the cap in RTE in the broadcast advertising market and in the independent production sector. It is seeking to protect and create jobs in this area. When enacted, the Bill will enable the enormous reservoir of creativity in RTE in the independent production sector to be released. That we have an abundance of such talent cannot be denied. It is obvious from RTE's recent technological and creative success in staging the Eurovision Song Contest in Millstreet and Irish film makers' successes.
Beidh mé ag brú ar aghaidh gan mhoill le bunú Theilifís na Gaeilge. Bhí gealltanas tugtha sa Chlár le haghaidh Rialtais Chomhphairtíochta go mbunófaí seirbhís dá leithéid mar thriú cainéal le huaireanta teoranta craolacháin, a bheadh lonnaithe i nGaeltacht Chonamara agus chraolfadh ar fud an náisiúin. Beidh a fhios ag na Teachtaí go bhfuil £4.5 mhilliún curtha i leataobh i gcaináisnéis na bliana seo do bhunú na seirbhíse seo.
With regard to Vote 43, I am also delighted to have been able to increase the funding for the National Gallery of Ireland by 7 per cent. The National Gallery is currently undergoing a major extension to its 1968 Wing at a cost of £6 million to the Exchequer and the reallocation of most of its administrative staff to 88 Merrion Square. This will release further exhibition space to the core building. When these developments have been completed the display of our national collections at the Gallery will be on a par with any of the major galleries in Europe.
I would like to take this opportunity to commend the board of governors and guardians of the National Gallery as well as the director and all his staff for their achievements over the years and their constant efforts to improve and develop the facilities of the gallery for the benefit of all.
With regard to Vote 44, Deputies will be aware that An Chomhairle Ealaíon have, in recent years, been demanding a significant increase in their funding towards a target that is based between £12-£13 million. The Government, under the Programme for a Partnership Government 1993-97, are committed to meeting this target. To this end, I am happy to have achieved a 13 per cent increase this year bringing An Chomhairle's allocation to £11.5 million.
This new funding emphasis for the council will greatly enhance its role and will go some way to address what I consider to be an imbalance at present in central Government funding between heritage and contemporary arts measures.
However, I have no doubt that Deputies will agree with me that additional funding for State agencies brings with it additional responsibilities. It was in recognition of this fact that the Programme for Government states that An Chomhairle Ealaíon will be asked to operate on a coordinated three year plan for the funding of the arts. Such a plan will enable me as Minister to comment upon and seek adjustments, where appropriate, so as to ensure that my statutory obligations to maximise the return on the State's investments in the arts, and to operate an integrated and coherent funding policy across the arts, culture and heritage areas, are fulfilled.
I have yet to formally request An Chomhairle to draw up such a three year plan but I intend to do so immediately on the appointment of a new council, which I expect to be able to do within the next two months.
Níl ach léargas gairid tugtha agam daoibh ar na réimsí oibre a thagann faoi scáth mo Roinn-se ach táim cinnte go n-aontaíonn sibh liom gur obair a bhfuil tábhacht náisiúnta léi atá i gceist. Táim ag tnúth go mór le cúrsaí na Meastachán seo a phlé leis an choiste agus beidh mé lán-sásta aon cheisteanna atá ag na Teachtaí a fhreagairt feadh mo chumais.