Written Answers Nos. 209-223
209. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the degree to which he continues to have dialogue with various local and voluntary musical societies and art groups with a view to maximising community interest in the arts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51914/13]
View answer213. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which he, his Department or bodies under his aegis have received applications for grant aid in respect of productions throughout County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51918/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 213 together.
The Government's policy on the arts is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms, to increase access to and participation in the arts, and to make the arts an integral and valued part of our national life. Primary responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels, throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. The Council is funded by my Department and is statutorily independent in its day-to-day operations, including funding decisions.
In 2014, the Arts Council will receive an allocation of over €56 million in current and capital funding. Details of all funding provided by the Arts Council to arts practitioners, arts groups and venues, including arts centres, are available on the Council's website at www.artscouncil.ie. In a wider context, the Arts Council support of a range of arts forms is set out in its strategic overview document entitled Developing the Arts in Ireland: Arts Council Strategic Overview 2011-2013. In this strategy document, which is available on the Council's website, its work and key strategic principles that inform its funding decisions are laid out.
I have outlined previously for the Deputy a range of ways in which my Department and relevant bodies within its remit are supporting cultural and heritage initiatives in conjunction with local groups and communities. These include the following cultural tourism initiatives that have been wholly or partly funded by my Department:
- St. Patrick's Day celebrations,
- Music Day;
- Culture Night;
- Arts Council support of the Arts Festivals and Events scheme, which supports some 150 small arts festivals in towns and villages throughout Ireland each year;
- Arts Council funding of arts centres and venues around the State, as well as the Council's funding of touring and dissemination of high-quality work in all disciplines through the national network of arts centres and venues;
- The Arts Council partnership with local authorities and Art Officers throughout the country;
- Funding of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann by my Department to support its work in the promotion of Irish traditional music;
- Cultural and heritage events being held under the auspices of The Gathering;
- Web-based projects being developed by my Department to promote greater appreciation and understanding of Ireland's heritage for residents and visitors alike;
- Collaborative work with bodies and groups such as the Arts Council, the Heritage Council, the Irish Heritage Trust, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and Music Network.
My Department also operates a philanthropic initiative for arts and culture organisations.
I would also refer the Deputy to my previous replies in relation to these matters. In January last, I provided details of the number of applications received for grant-aid and other forms of support from applicants from County Kildare and the extent to which these applications were approved. My Department's website will be updated with details of grant-aid to organisations after the year end.
210. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which philanthropic funding remains available for the promotion of the arts; the extent to which the future is secure in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51915/13]
View answerThe Programme for Government includes the following commitment in the area of Philanthropy and the Arts:-
"We will work with stakeholders in the Arts community to develop new proposals aimed at building private support of the Arts in Ireland exploring philanthropic, sponsorship or endowment fund opportunities".
Since taking office two years ago, I have introduced a number of initiatives to address this commitment.
In May 2012 I introduced a new philanthropic initiative for arts and culture organisations. The initiative - the Philanthropic Leverage Initiative - was designed to encourage philanthropic sponsorship and endowment of the arts from private sources. The initiative has provided an incentive to arts organisations to proactively seek new funding relationships with sponsors which deliver private sector financial support, thereby increasing overall funding available to the arts. The initiative proved very successful with a multiplier of 4.26 in philanthropic donations being leveraged for the arts. The arts got a boost of over €1 million last year, of which less than one-fifth came from the public purse. A full list of awards under this scheme can be viewed on my Department's website at www.ahg.gov.ie.
This year, €210,000 is available to arts organisations under the Initiative. The terms are as follows:
- Up to €5,000 of funds can be accessed through the scheme if the organisation can match each €1 from the taxpayer with €2 from private sector sources;
- Up to €10,000 if each €1 from the taxpayer can be matched by €3 from private sector funding;
- Up to €15,000 if each €1 from the taxpayer can be matched by €4 from private sector funding.
In 2013, priority was given to arts and culture organisations seeking support for projects that include an education component. This is to support the Arts in Education Charter, which I launched in conjunction with Mr. Ruairí Quinn, T.D., Minister for Education and Skills. Accordingly, the Initiative, while continuing to provide an incentive to arts organisations to engage in fundraising, will also encourage arts and culture organisations to engage creatively with children and young people and add to their education. In doing so, they will be helping to foster the artists and the audiences of the future.
I should mention also that in October 2012 I hosted and chaired a forum on Philanthropy and the Arts in Smock Alley Theatre. It featured speakers from key philanthropic organisations and the arts in Ireland. The conference was very well attended and generated very positive feedback. There is a full report of the conference on my Department's website.
Parallel to these initiatives, the Arts Council is undertaking an initiative - RAISE: Building Fundraising Capacity - which dovetails with the work in my Department. The initiative consists of a programme which is providing one-to-one professional support to selected arts organisations for two years to assist in planning and implementing a tailored fundraising programme for each organisation. Eight leading Irish arts organisations are aiming to raise €10 million in private funding over the next five years as part of this Arts Council initiative.
211. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which a full audit of all historical buildings, including those of architectural and cultural interest, exists; the degree to which any alterations have been made in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51916/13]
View answerThe National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) is a State initiative under the administration of my Department. Its purpose is to identify, record, and evaluate the post-1700 architectural heritage of Ireland, uniformly and consistently, as an aid in the protection and conservation of the built heritage as set out under the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2012. Under this initiative, of which details are available on my Department’s website www.buildingsofireland.ie, a survey of the architectural heritage of Ireland is complete for all counties except Donegal and Dublin. The most recent county surveys were completed this year in Cavan, Monaghan and Mayo. The Donegal survey will be published in early 2014 and the survey of the architectural heritage of Dublin has commenced and will progress through 2014.
Details of all monuments protected under the National Monuments Acts 1930-2004 are available on the website of my Department’s National Monuments Service, www.archaeology.ie. The National Monuments Acts require that any proposed works at or in relation to a protected monument must be notified in writing to my Department not less than 2 months in advance of the commencement of such works. Furthermore, any works proposed at or in proximity to a national monument in my ownership or guardianship, or that of a local authority, or which is subject to a Preservation Order or Temporary Preservation Order, cannot proceed without my prior written consent. All proposed works in relation to protected monuments, as outlined above, are individually scrutinised by my Department.
212. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which EU funding has been made available for the preservation or restoration of historical monuments, buildings or sites in the past five years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51917/13]
View answerMy colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform oversees EU Structural Funding. As the current programme of Structural Funds, which is running from 2007-2013, is not closed out, I understand that it is not yet possible to say definitively the extent to which historical monuments, buildings or sites will have benefited from the programme.
It should be noted that EU funding may benefit Ireland's built heritage through a number of funding streams. For example, my Department is working with the Border, Midland and Western Regional Assembly and with both the Office of Public Works and the Heritage Council to recoup funding expended on preservation works to certain historic sites by the latter two organisations in recent years from the European Regional Development Fund.
The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government has also committed funding for conservation work under the LEADER stream of the Rural Development Programme. Funding has also been provided for the preservation of traditional farm buildings throughout the country under the Rural Development Programme, for which the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is the lead Department.
214. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which he and his Department can identify, promote and support cultural events in the coming year which might be of substantial economic benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51919/13]
View answerMy Department has already identified and committed to supporting a number of cultural events in the coming year.
In the first instance, my Department is providing significant funding towards the Limerick City of Culture initiative, which will be of great economic and social benefit to Limerick. As in previous years, my Department will also support the annual Culture Night event. Culture Night has grown from a relatively small-scale cultural event, staged only in Dublin, in 2006 to the significant national cultural event it now is. Culture Night 2013 took place on 20 September 2013 in 34 locations across the island of Ireland, in 3 UK cities and in Leuven in Belgium. The feedback from the 2013 event has been overwhelmingly positive with many participating locations reporting larger turnouts than in previous years. Discussions have already commenced with key stakeholders in relation to Culture Night 2014.
My Department will also support the International Week of Irish Culture initiative, which is based around the St Patrick's Day Festival. This initiative, which commenced in 2012, allows the opportunity to showcase to the world Ireland's rich and varied cultural heritage and to promote Ireland as a destination for cultural tourists.
In addition to these festivals, my Department will also be indirectly supporting numerous other cultural events during 2014 through funding provided to the Arts Council, the national cultural institutions and various other cultural organisations throughout the country.
Over the course of 2014, more than €2.3 million per week will be invested by my Department in support of arts, culture and film in Ireland.
215. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 431 of 26 November 2013, the qualifications the adjudicators of the tender process in the provision of cargo services to the Aran Islands had regarding issues of marine and maritime practice; and if he is satisfied with the level of qualifications in view of the specialist issues at stake. [51937/13]
View answer216. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 431 of 26 November 2013, if the present operators of the Aran Islands cargo service are in adherence with the tender requirements to dock at Inis Meáin pier; if the present vessel being used has the thruster power to dock in bad weather at Inis Meáin; the number of days in 2013 in which the vessel has been unable to dock; and if other unsuccessful tenders had vessels with a thruster power superior to that of the successful tender. [51940/13]
View answer217. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 431 of 26 November 2013, if in the open competitive tender process unsuccessful candidates had a vessel which fulfilled the stated criteria of being able to transport petrol and of having a crane capable of landing cargo; and if he will provide the marks they were awarded in comparison with the successful tender applicant. [51945/13]
View answer218. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 431 of 26 November 2013, if this response confirms that the service provider successful in the tender process is not currently, nor since 1 January 2013, providing a service within the terms specified in the tender documents. [51948/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 215 to 218, inclusive, together.
The tenders received for the Aran Islands cargo service were assessed by a committee comprising officials from my Department. This is in accordance with the standard approach adopted in relation to the assessment of all ferry service tenders. While the officials in question do not hold technical qualifications of the nature referred to by the Deputy, I am satisfied that they have significant and adequate experience in assessing tenders of this nature.
I can also assure the Deputy that I am satisfied that the contract in this case was awarded following an open and fair tendering process, using the scoring system contained in the Request For Tender. It may be noted that the scoring of such tenders entails the assessment of a range of elements, with various marks available for each of those elements. A significant proportion of the available marks is allocated to the tender price - 40% of the overall marks in this instance. I should also point out that the successful tender in this case came in at a cost to the State which was considerably lower than the other tenders received.
In relation to docking on Inis Meáin, my Department’s information is that the cargo vessel failed to dock there on 2 days in the period from 1 January 2013 to 31 October 2013. It may also be noted that my Department has not, during this period, received any significant complaints from island representatives with regard to the cargo service that is being provided in this case.
In conclusion, I want to emphasise that my Department is dedicated to ensuring that a quality cargo service is in place for the Aran Islands. A number of issues that remain to be addressed have been raised with the operator and I can assure the Deputy that these are currently being pursued. I can also assure the Deputy that my Department will invoke any remedies that are available to it to ensure full compliance with its requirements within a reasonable timeframe.
219. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding a compulsory angler registration charge (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51905/13]
View answerMy Department has been working closely with Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) on a comprehensive modernisation and review of fisheries legislation, essentially seeking to bring legislation dating back to the1950s and older instruments into the twenty-first century. The aim is to ensure that the sector, valued at €755m annually to the national economy and supporting 10,000 jobs in rural and peripheral areas, is underpinned by a robust and modern legislative code. As part of this review, I organised a series of public information and consultation meetings and attended these meetings accompanied by senior officials from the Inland Fisheries Division of my Department and Inland Fisheries Ireland. Those meetings, which were held on a regional basis in Drogheda, Carrick-on-Shannon, Tuam, Clonmel and Dublin, were well attended and laid out transparently the principal themes to be considered in the context of new legislation. A range of issues and possible new approaches were outlined at these meetings and there was widespread and broadly positive reaction to the modernisation proposals with a range of views expressed at the public meetings. I have undertaken to carefully consider points made before developing specific legislative proposals and the submissions received in the course of the public consultation sessions are available on the Department's website, www.dcenr.ie.
I welcome all opportunities to debate the future shape of angling in Ireland and will be keen to continue and ensure full public involvement in this dialogue in the weeks and months ahead.
220. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the Saorview TV signal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [51319/13]
View answerIn accordance with the Broadcasting Act 2009, RTÉ, through its subsidiary company 2RN, is responsible for the roll-out, coverage and operation of the SAORVIEW digital terrestrial television (DTT) network and I, as Minister, have no function in this matter. Specifically, the Act requires RTÉ to provide digital coverage to the same extent as provided over the previous analogue network, i.e. 98% population coverage, and I am advised by RTÉ that this level of coverage is being provided by the SAORVIEW TV network. For the remaining 2% of the population, RTÉ launched SAORSAT in March 2012. The development and provision of SAORSAT, which is a “free to air” satellite system providing access to the RTÉ channels and TG4, was undertaken by RTÉ on its own initiative and, as in the case of the SAORVIEW DTT network, is not a matter in which I have a function.
Ireland is not the only country to have introduced a national TV network on both a terrestrial and satellite platform. Many countries, including the UK, have developed their digital networks on both the traditional terrestrial platform and also over satellite. The reason for this is simple. It is technically and financially impossible to provide 100% coverage using a terrestrial TV platform. However, through SAORVIEW and SAORSAT, Ireland now has 100% “free to air” coverage of the RTÉ channels and TG4 for the first time in the history of the State.
That said, I have noted the specific details of the case raised by the Deputy in this Question and have had them brought to the attention of RTÉ’s network company, 2RN. I have requested the company to examine if anything can be done to improve the person’s terrestrial TV reception.
221. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of officials in his Department that are receiving the cost of club membership fees, including sports clubs and professional bodies, as part of their contract of employment; the total cost per year to his Department of paying these fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51363/13]
View answerMy Department does not pay fees for any staff member in respect of club or sporting and recreational organisation membership. As the Deputy will appreciate the staff of my Department includes key professional, technical and specialist practitioners who underpin our strategic policy role in important economic sectors. In that regard, the Department pays membership fees for key staff to professional bodies that:
1. Are fundamental to facilitating these staff members in carrying out their duties on behalf of the Department and
2. Embrace a continuing education and essential professional development element.
In 2013 fees totalling €3134.20 were paid in respect of 16 professional memberships. Payment of such fees are not included in contracts of employment. Payment of professional fees relates to the conduct of the Department's business
Details of the professional fees paid this year are set out below:
Professional Membership Fees
|
Membership |
Number of persons |
Total Cost |
|
Dublin Solicitors Bar Association |
1 |
€95.00 |
|
Engineers Ireland |
3 |
€920.00 |
|
Energy Institute |
1 |
€172.13 |
|
Law Society of Ireland |
1 |
€85.00 |
|
Chartered Association of Certified Accountants |
1 |
€259.31 |
|
Institute of Internal Auditors |
2 |
€408.72 |
|
Society of Economic Geologists |
1 |
€156.04 |
|
Institute of Geologists |
6 |
€1038.00 |
222. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his Department is paying for any of its employees to receive third level qualifications; if so, the annual cost for each of the past five years; if the employee will receive a financial bonus as a result of receiving this qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51377/13]
View answerI assume that the Deputy is seeking information on courses of third level study, funded by my Department and pursued by staff outside of working hours. Each year my Department invites staff to make an application for funding within the terms of the Refund of Fees Programme (Post-Entry Education) under Department of Finance Circular 23/07. Applications are considered for approval where the course is relevant to the applicant's role and to the work of their Division and the Department. Funding is allocated on the basis of payment on successful completion of the academic year including any prescribed examinations, verified by the relevant college or institution. The Department makes no payment in respect of qualifications obtained by staff members
The table below sets out details of the annual cost of third level fees refunds under the relevant Circular for 5 years.
Third Level Qualifications
|
Year |
Total Cost |
|
Academic Year 2013/2014 |
€58,576* |
|
Academic Year 2012/2013 |
€39,204 |
|
Academic Year 2011/2012 |
€32,761 |
|
Academic Year 2010/2011 |
€38,025 |
|
Academic Year 2009/2010 |
€52,943 |
*projected
223. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will commission an independent cost benefit analysis for the Grid Link project, exploring fully the underground and over ground options taking all health, social and economic factors into consideration. [51418/13]
View answerI welcomed the decision made by EirGrid last week to extend the deadline for the consultation process on the GridLink project to 7 January 2014. Any steps to be taken after 7 January, including any analysis of issues such as costs, environmental impacts and technical efficacy, will be considered then. The period between now and 7 January will, no doubt, be useful in providing EirGrid with an opportunity to reflect further on the valid concerns raised in relation to various aspects of the project. The July 2012 "Government Policy Statement on the Strategic Importance of Transmission and Other Energy Infrastructure", emphasised the imperative for the State Companies, and all developers of energy projects, of early, transparent engagement and consultation with local communities and stakeholders. The Statement also made clear that public acceptability requires public confidence proposals adhere to the highest international standards of safety, health and environmental and visual impact, and technology choice. The Government affirmed that EirGrid and the other State energy companies are obliged to adhere to all relevant guidelines and standards and they act in the national interest, and on behalf of all electricity consumers.
In this regard, the expectation is that those companies in making their choices, of project specific technologies and routing as well as mitigation measures, will take account of all relevant national and international standards, to follow best practice and ensure value for money and be informed by detailed consultation at local level. In addition to undertaking extensive statutory and non statutory public consultation, the State Companies and energy developers must adhere to national and international standards on health, environment, biodiversity, landscape and safety as an intrinsic part of the Planning process. Compliance together with appropriate impact mitigation measures are central to the Environmental Impact Assessments which form the basis of planning applications to An Bord Pleanála. This includes compliance with EMF exposure limits set in International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection Guidelines and associated EU Recommendations, and Environmental, Habitat and Biodiversity national and EU legislation. The Government in affirming the broad principle of adherence to all standards, underlined the importance of the statutory and non statutory consultation processes in ensuring public and stakeholder confidence that standards are met and where necessary mitigation measures are put in place.
I am aware that many people are concerned about the impact that new transmission lines and other energy infrastructure can have on the landscape, the environment and on local communities. Accordingly, it is essential that the GridLink project is taken forward on the basis of the best available knowledge and informed engagement on the impacts and costs of different engineering solutions. EirGrid has stated that it will take account of all the submissions received during the course of the consultation process.
The Government wants to be able to give a strong consistent message to Irish business and multinationals, and our citizens, that Ireland’s electricity networks are robust, modern and safe. This project is a practical illustration of our collective and continuing commitment to large scale investment in electricity infrastructure, while at the same time taking in to account valid concerns and addressing them as appropriate.
