Written Answers Nos. 27-34
27. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will report on the proposed €20 million upgrade of the National Gallery as part of the 1916 centenary commemorations; the timetable for the upgrade works and the way he envisages the National Gallery's role in the centenary celebrations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12869/13]
View answerFor some years now, the National Gallery of Ireland has been actively working with the Office of Public Works on the management of a Master Development Plan to remedy the structural problems that needed to be addressed in the Gallery. The principal components of the Plan include the essential refurbishment of the historic buildings at Merrion Square and the provision of additional space, including, in time, a new wing for exhibitions, education and the library.
The first phase of the project (Phase 1) relates to the renovation of the historic wings (the Dargan and Milltown Wings). The Dargan Wing was opened in 1854 and the Milltown Wing was opened in 1903. Since then there has been no fundamental upgrade to the fabric of these buildings and they are no longer considered fit for purpose for modern exhibition requirements. Under this project, the roofs of both wings will be brought up to standard, as will the internal fabric. This will ensure that the National Collection can be shown and protected in an appropriate forum. It will also enable the Gallery to host international exhibitions and, in the longer term, to increase its contribution towards the country’s cultural tourism offering.
There are a number of aspects to the first phase:
- Refurbishment of the roof of the Dargan Wing;
- Refurbishment of the roof of the Milltown Wing and renovation works to both wings to return them to their original architectural forms;
- The installation of an energy centre and the modernisation of the heating, ventilation and environmental controls; and
- The integration of external spaces into the Gallery proper, as exhibition facilities and orientation galleries.
Both the Dargan and Milltown Wings were closed to the public in February 2011. Work on the refurbishment of the roof of the Dargan Wing commenced in March 2011 and was completed in May 2012. Work on the refurbishment of the roof of the Milltown Wing and the renovation of both wings remains to be completed. The Office of Public Works is about to go to tender in relation to this project and it is expected that work will commence towards the end of this year and be completed by 2016. Befitting its status as a national cultural institution and one of the leading galleries of its kind in the world, the National Gallery will play a full role in the centenary celebrations. I understand that the Director is advancing his plans in that regard.
28. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cén dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir leis an Straitéis Fiche Bliain; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [12971/13]
View answerAithnítear sa Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030 go bhfuil gá le cur chuige céimneach chun bearta éagsúla na Straitéise a chur i gcrích. I gcomhréir leis an gcur chuige seo, tá obair leanúnach ar siúl chun raon leathan gníomhaíochtaí faoin Straitéis a chur i bhfeidhm taobh istigh de na hacmhainní ar fáil. Cé go bhfuil an fhreagracht fhoriomlán ar mo Roinn don Straitéis, tá mo Roinn ag obair as lámha a chéile le páirtithe leasmhara na Straitéise, lena n-áirítear an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna, Foras na Gaeilge agus Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Tugadh faoi chéim an bhunaithe den Straitéis a chur i gcrích in 2011 nuair a díríodh ar dhaoine a chur ar an eolas faoin Straitéis agus ar bhunú na struchtúr eagraíochtúil agus oibríochtúil. Tugadh tús áite do ghnóthaí reachtaíochta in 2012 le hAcht na Gaeltachta a thugann bunús reachtúil do chóras pleanála teanga, taobh istigh agus taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht, agus a thugann ról lárnach sa phleanáil teanga d’Údarás na Gaeltachta agus d’Fhoras na Gaeilge.
Mar thoradh ar an obair atá ar siúl ag mo Roinn le páirtithe leasmhara na Straitéise, táthar ag súil go mbeidh na páirtithe sin ag foilsiú a gcuid pleananna forfheidhmithe faoin Straitéis níos moille i mbliana. Ina theannta sin, tá sé i gceist tuarascáil a fhoilsiú níos moille i mbliana maidir leis an dul chun cinn atá déanta faoin Straitéis go dáta.
29. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Jonathan O'Brien den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cé mhéad limistéar atá roghnaithe ó thaobh plean teanga a chur i bhfeidhm; cad iad na hacmhainní atá á gcur ar fáil do na limistéir seo; cad iad na pleananna oibre atá aontaithe, agus an dtabharfaidh sé míniú maidir le cad atá ar intinn aige a dhéanamh maidir leis na limistéir nach bhfuil plean réitithe acu le cur i bhfeidhm. [13101/13]
View answerGlacaim leis go bhfuil an Teachta ag tagairt do na Limistéir Pleanála Teanga Ghaeltachta faoi Acht na Gaeltachta 2012. I gcomhréir leis an Acht sin, déanfar an Ghaeltacht mar atá sí faoi láthair a athshainiú mar Limistéir Pleanála Teanga, ag baint leas as critéir pleanála teanga. Tá obair ar bun ag Údarás na Gaeltachta, i gcomhar le mo Roinn, maidir le sainiú cuí a dhéanamh ar na limistéir éagsúla atá i gceist.
Faoin Acht, is é an tÚdarás atá freagrach as roghnú na n-eagraíochtaí a thabharfaidh faoi phleananna teanga a ullmhú agus a fheidhmiú sna Limistéir Pleanála Teanga i gcomhar leis an bpobal. Tuigtear dom go bhfuil obair ullmhúcháin idir lámha ag an Údarás ina leith sin. Ní miste a rá go dtabharfar deis do gach uile cheantar Gaeltachta a bheith rannpháirteach sa phróiseas pleanála teanga.
Maidir le hacmhainní airgid, tá allúntas reatha de €3.4m ag Údarás na Gaeltachta i mbliana atá le caitheamh ar ghníomhaíochtaí teanga sa Ghaeltacht agus ar an bpróiseas pleanála teanga ach go háirithe. Ina theannta sin, tá soláthar reatha agus caipitil gur fiú os cionn €8.2m san iomlán ag mo Roinn féin le caitheamh sa Ghaeltacht i mbliana. Tá an soláthar airgid sin á chaitheamh ar raon beartas agus scéimeanna atá dírithe ar an nGaeilge a neartú mar theanga pobail agus teaghlaigh sa Ghaeltacht. Ní miste a nótáil gur figiúirí táscacha iad seo, faoi réir na Meastachán a bheith foilsithe agus faofa go luath.
Agus acmhainní maidir le pleanáil teanga faoi chaibidil, is fiú a lua go n-aithnítear an riachtanas faoi leith a bhaineann le hoiliúint i réimse na pleanála teanga. Chun freastal cuí a dhéanamh ar an riachtanas sin, beidh Dioplóma sa Phleanáil Teanga á sholáthar ag Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge ag tosú san fhómhar i mbliana. Le soláthar an chúrsa sin, tabharfar deis oiliúna i réimse na pleanála teanga do na heagraíochtaí Gaeltachta agus do pháirtithe leasmhara eile.
Is féidir leis an Teachta a bheith cinnte de go leanfar ag glacadh go córasach leis na céimeanna cuí i dtreo chur i bhfeidhm iomlán an Achta a chinntiú, lena n-áirítear gach gné a bhaineann leis an bpleanáil teanga sa Ghaeltacht, agus go leanfar ag féachaint chuige go bhfaightear an luach is fearr is féidir ar airgead don Státchiste.
30. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Dessie Ellis den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cé mhéad eagras stáit nách bhfuil scéimeanna teanga faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla daingnithe ag an Roinn dóibh; cad atá déanta ag an Aire faoi seo; agus an bhfuil sé i gceist aige treoir a thabhairt do na heagraíochtaí seo scéimeanna teanga a dhaingniú. [13102/13]
View answerI dtús báire, is mian liom a mheabhrú don Teachta go bhfuil 108 scéim teanga aontaithe ón uair gur tháinig Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla i bhfeidhm. Cuimsíonn na scéimeanna seo 194 comhlacht poiblí san iomlán. Sa bhreis air sin, tá 122 dréacht scéim á n-ullmhú ag comhlachtaí poiblí éagsúla faoi láthair agus tá plé gníomhach ar siúl ag oifigigh mo Roinne ina leith. Tá mé dóchasach go mbeidh toradh dearfach ar an bplé sin agus go mbeidh tuilleadh scéimeanna á ndaingniú agam i rith na bliana seo.
Cé go bhfuil tuairim is 600 comhlacht poiblí san áireamh faoin gCéad Sceideal den Acht, tá mise sásta go gclúdaíonn an 108 scéim atá i bhfeidhm mórchuid na gcomhlachtaí poiblí a mbíonn teagmháil rialta ag an bpobal i gcoitinne leo.
Ní miste a aithint, áfach, nach bhfuil córas na scéimeanna teanga gan laigí agus gur próiseas casta atá ann scéimeanna a aontú agus a dhaingniú. Tá sé tábhachtach a chur san áireamh fosta gur féidir leis an bpróiseas sin a bheith dúshlánach do chomhlachtaí poiblí, go háirithe leis an mbrú ar acmhainní, mar atá i láthair na huaire. Dá bhrí sin, tá athbhreithniú ar chóras na scéimeanna teanga mar chuid den athbhreithniú ar an Acht atá ar siúl ag mo Roinn faoi láthair.
Tá sonraí maidir leis na scéimeanna uilig atá daingnithe go dáta, mar aon leis na scéimeanna atá á n-ullmhú faoi latháir, ar fáil ar shuíomh gréasáin Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga, www.coimisineir.ie.
31. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update on cross border work with the North-South Ministerial Council in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12997/13]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) was established to develop consultation, co-operation and action within the island of Ireland - including through implementation on an all-island and cross-border basis - on matters of mutual interest and within the competence of the Administrations, North and South. The NSMC comprises Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government, working together to take forward co-operation between both parts of the island to mutual benefit.
Six North-South Implementation Bodies have been established. They operate under the overall policy direction of the NSMC, with clear accountability lines back to the Council and to the Oireachtas and the Northern Ireland Assembly. In that regard, my own Department and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland together have a specific role in relation to two of these Implementation Bodies: Waterways Ireland and An Foras Teanga, which comprises two agencies - Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency/Tha Boord o Ulstèr-Scotch.
My Department is committed to supporting North/South co-operation, particularly in the context of the Good Friday Agreement and the St. Andrews Agreement. I, along with the Minister of State at my Department, Mr. Dinny McGinley, T.D., participate regularly in meetings of the NSMC, in both the Waterways and Language sectoral formats. There were six such meetings in 2012 – three in each sectoral format. Topics addressed at those meetings included the management and development of the waterways network; the development of education packs for schools in relation to waterways; the negative effects of invasive species on the waterways; the publication of a major new English/Irish dictionary; projects to build links between communities in Ireland and Scotland; the development of the Hairtlan project, which aims to preserve, protect and present Ulster-Scots heritage; and governance and financial management arrangements.
The most recent formal engagement was at the NSMC meeting in Language sectoral format on 6 March last in Armagh. As is customary, the Council issued a Joint Communiqué following this meeting, which is available on http://www.northsouthministerialcouncil.org/index/publications/joint-communiques/sectoral-jc.htm. I am advised that the next NSMC meeting in sectoral format for both Waterways Ireland and An Foras Teanga is planned for June 2013.
32. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to address the ongoing issues regarding the implementation of the ban on turf cutting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13043/13]
View answerLast April, together with Minister Hogan, I met Commissioner Potonik in Brussels, where we secured his support for developing a National Raised Bog Special Area of Conservation (SAC) Management Plan. This was in keeping with the recommendations of Justice Quirke following his report on the Peatlands Forum. It was also in line with the motion agreed unanimously by Dáil Éireann on 7 March, 2012 which called on the Government to “engage actively with the European Commission to seek a resolution within the terms of the Habitats Directive, and to prepare and submit a National Raised Bog Restoration Plan to the Commission as a matter of urgency ".
My Department has prepared a document detailing the proposed approach to the development of the National Raised Bog SAC Management Plan. The document is available on my Department’s website at www.npws.ie. The Plan will provide for the long-term protection of Ireland’s raised bog SACs, will address the needs of turf-cutters and can unlock the flexibility available for dealing with the most difficult of bogs, within the terms of the Habitats Directive. My Department has sought and received tenders for carrying out the necessary scientific work which is required to underpin the long term conservation and restoration of these SACs and for completion of the National Plan. I expect to be in a position to announce the outcome of this tendering process shortly.
As part of the Plan, arrangements are now being made for the relocation of turf cutters to alternative bogs and these have already been finalised or are close to finalisation for a number of sites. Potential relocation sites have been identified for almost all of the remaining SACs where relocation of turf-cutters will be required. Monetary compensation or the delivery of turf is available to qualifying applicants as an interim measure, while the development of relocation sites and the completion of the national plan are awaited. To-date in the region of €3.4 million has been paid in compensation, by way of annuity payments and deliveries of cut turf to applicants under the cessation of turf cutting scheme, which was established to compensate those impacted by the need to cease cutting turf on these sites.
I am determined that, in collaboration with the Peatlands Council and local turf-cutting communities, substantial progress will be made on the Plan over the coming months. My Department has stepped up contact with turf-cutting groups to seek long-term resolutions to the issues for their particular bogs, in compliance with EU and national law. I hope that the National Plan can be completed by November, in time to submit an application to the European Commission under Article 6(4) of the Habitats Directive, if required, prior to the 2014 cutting season. However, the engagement and agreement of turf-cutting communities to its proposed approaches will be essential to meeting this timeline and to unlocking the potential flexibility it offers.
33. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Seán Crowe den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas faoin gcónascadh atá beartaithe idir Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga agus Oifig an Ombudsman; cad iad impleachtaí an chinnidh sin d’fhostaithe Oifig an Choimisinéara; agus an leagfaidh sé amach na hathruithe atá beartaithe sna míonna atá amach romhainn. [13093/13]
View answerIs mian liom aird an Teachta a dhíriú ar an bhfreagra a thug mé ar Cheist Dála Uimhir 5 ar 30 Eanáir 2013 ar an ábhar seo. Mar a thug mé le fios sa fhreagra sin, tógadh cinneadh Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga a chónascadh le hOifig an Ombudsman mar chuid de réimse gníomhartha athchóirithe faoi Phlean Athchóirithe an Rialtais don tSeirbhís Phoiblí a foilsíodh i mí na Samhna 2011. Tar éis don Rialtas athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar 31 Deireadh Fómhair 2012 ar an dul chun cinn faoin bplean, d'aontaigh an Rialtas réimse gníomhartha athchóirithe atá le cur i bhfeidhm.
Mar chuid den chur chuige sin, cé go bhfuil Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga le cónascadh le hOifig an Ombudsman, féachfar chuige go leanfaidh Coimisinéir Teanga, a bheidh ceaptha go reachtúil agus a bheidh lonnaithe sa Ghaeltacht, ag feidhmiú cumhachtaí reatha an Choimisinéara Teanga go neamhspleách faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003.
Tá mo Roinnse i mbun plé leis an Roinn Caiteachais Phoiblí agus Athchóirithe maidir leis na chéad céimeanna eile chun an chónascadh seo a chur i bhfeidhm agus breathnófar ar aon cheisteanna ábhartha maidir le foireann Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga i gcomhthéacs an phlé sin.
34. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide the names of the arts and culture organisations that received grants under his Department’s philanthropy initiative for 2012; if he will give details of the amount each organisation received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13129/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is available on my Department's website at
http://www.ahg.gov.ie/en/Arts/GrantsandFunding/CulturalDevelopmentExpenditure/Expenditure2012/PDF%20English%20version%20of%20website%20figures%20for%202012.pdf
For the Deputy's convenience, the relevant information is also reproduced in the table.
Philanthropy Scheme Payments from Cultural Infrastructure and Development Subhead in 2012
|
Grantee |
County |
Amount |
|
IMMA |
National |
€8,333 |
|
National Irish Visual Arts Library |
National |
€1,835 |
|
The Abbey Theatre |
National |
€6,000 |
|
Briery Gap Cultural Centre Ltd |
Cork |
€2,500 |
|
Cork Community Art Link Limited |
Cork |
€1,955 |
|
Boston College |
Dublin |
€20,000 |
|
Draoícht, Blanchardstown |
Dublin |
€5,000 |
|
Dublin Theatre Festival Ltd |
Dublin |
€20,000 |
|
First Fortnight |
Dublin |
€5,000 |
|
GAZE Film Festival Ltd |
Dublin |
€5,866 |
|
Little Museum of Dublin |
Dublin |
€5,498 |
|
Monica Loughman Ballet |
Dublin |
10,000 |
|
Ouroboros Ireland |
Dublin |
€7,000 |
|
Temple Bar Gallery |
Dublin |
€1,250 |
|
Temple Bar Traders |
Dublin |
€1,500 |
|
Baboró Galway International Children's Festival |
Galway |
€9,963 |
|
Blue Teapot Company |
Galway |
€5,000 |
|
Druid Theatre |
Galway |
€8,590 |
|
Let's Do It Galway Ltd |
Galway |
€20,000 |
|
Loughrea Heritage & Development Co. Ltd |
Galway |
€2,200 |
|
Macnas Ltd |
Galway |
€2,494 |
|
Portumna Arts Group |
Galway |
€3,000 |
|
Charlie Chaplin Comedy Festival |
Kerry |
€5,000 |
|
Cill Rialaig |
Kerry |
€10,000 |
|
The Butler Gallery |
Kilkenny |
€1,625 |
|
Limerick Corridor Art Programme |
Limerick |
€1,250 |
|
The Model |
Sligo |
€5,000 |
|
Clonmel Junction Festival |
Tipperary |
€4,500 |
|
Waterford Healing Arts Trust |
Waterford |
€2,000 |
|
Wexford Festival Opera |
Wexford |
€20,000 |
|
Total |
|
€202,358 |
