I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 to 148, inclusive, together.
Organisations funded under the A.6 subhead meet a specific cultural need and support the high-level goal of my Department in relation to enhancing access to the arts, culture and film sectors and recognising the social and economic role of these sectors in Ireland. The organisations in question make a very important contribution to the development and promotion of Ireland's cultural tourism offering, to the benefit of both the domestic and foreign tourist, and represent an important component of the delivery of the cultural tourism commitments in the Programme for Government.
Projects funded under the A.7 subhead relate to Cultural Infrastructure and Development and include a capital and current element. Capital investment in cultural infrastructure has greatly improved access to, and participation in, the arts for large numbers of people, including, for example, the Smock Alley project. Current investment includes funding for programmes such as those operated by Music Network and provision towards the Philanthropy Initiative to support private fundraising by arts organisations - with arts in education being the major focus of this scheme in 2013 in support of the Arts in Education Charter, launched recently by myself and my colleague Ruairi Quinn, TD, Minister for Education and Skills. A copy of the 2013 philanthropy scheme is available at www.ahg.gov.ie/en/arts/schemes/.
The application and evaluation process in relation to projects funded under both subheads A.6 and A.7 is determined by the specific objectives of the projects themselves vis-à-vis Government Arts and Culture policy. For example, my Department is committed under the A.6 subhead to providing annual funding to certain cultural institutions that hold collections of moveable cultural heritage of national importance, or collections that are unique in the country. Institutions such as Archbishop Marsh's Library, the James Joyce Centre, the Hunt Museum and Foynes Flying Boat Museum receive an annual allocation of funding accordingly.
Projects funded under the Local and Regional Museums Scheme are required to comply with the detailed terms and conditions of that scheme, which are available on my Department's website, and an assessment and evaluation process is carried out within my Department to determine successful applicants. Projects seeking funding under the Mobility of Collections Scheme, the Co-operation with Northern Ireland Scheme and Regional Culture Night also go through similar processes. These schemes are also available at www.ahg.gov.ie/en/culture/schemes/ .
In addition to the details available on my Department's website, relevant groups and/or associations are advised of the availability of funding each year, e.g., the Irish Museums' Association, the Local Authority Museums' Network, the Local Arts Officers Network, etc, as the case may be.
The Deputy will appreciate that as the audit of 2012 expenditure by my Department has yet to be completed by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, I am not in a position at this time to release audited details of the monies disbursed in 2012 from subheads A.6 and A.7. I can, however, advise that the main funding allocations (including, in certain cases, both capital and current allocations) under these subheads in 2012 included the following:
Groups/Associations
|
€
|
Philanthropy Initiative
|
€200,000
|
Music Network
|
€200,000
|
Hunt Museum
|
€495,000
|
Archbishop Marsh's Library
|
€345,000
|
Irish Architectural Archive
|
€295,000
|
National Print Museum
|
€122,500
|
Foynes Flying Boat Museum
|
€110,000
|
James Joyce Centre
|
€152,000
|
National Maritime Museum
|
€9,000
|
Science Gallery
|
€375,000
|
Cork Butter Museum
|
€30,000
|
Irish Museums Association
|
€35,000
|
Regional Museums Programme
|
€70,000
|
Mobility of Collections
|
€10,000
|
|
|
Culture Night 2012
|
€200,000
|
Co-operation with Northern Ireland
|
€130,000
|
Irish Manuscripts Commission
|
€245,000
|
The Garage Theatre
|
€1,362,000
|
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
|
€1,675,000
|
Theatre Royal, Waterford
|
€578,000
|
Smock Alley Theatre
|
€357,000
|
IMMA
|
€45,000
|
Cinema Digitisation
|
€49,000
|
National Museum
|
€240,000
|
The Abbey Theatre
|
€450,000
|
National Sculptor Factory
|
€15,000
|
Other Voices
|
€100,000
|
Limerick City Gallery
|
€107,000
|
St. John Square, Limerick
|
€123,000
|
RIA Historic Books
|
€50,000
|
Gate Theatre
|
€24,000
|
Royal Irish Academy
|
€200,000
|
National Concert Hall
|
€110,000
|