Written Answers Nos. 252 - 259
252. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if an official in her Department has been appointed to co-ordinate the public consultation and implementation of the Brú na Bóinne draft management plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27768/15]
View answer253. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the next meeting of the Brú na Bóinne steering group will take place. [27769/15]
View answer254. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the local community will be involved in agreeing a policy on planning and development in the Brú na Bóinne area in County Meath. [27770/15]
View answer255. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will make public the submissions received by her Department on the Brú na Bóinne draft management plan. [27771/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 252 to 255, inclusive, together.
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 710 on 30 June 2015, in which I indicated that all observations on the draft of the new Brú na Bóinne Management Plan are being examined in my Department and that a final draft of the Plan will be forwarded to the local Steering Committee as soon as possible, following which a meeting of that Committee will be arranged.
A summary of the submissions received will be included in the final Plan, the delivery and implementation of which will be undertaken by the personnel in my Department’s National Monuments Service and other relevant interests.
The main instrument for regulating and controlling physical planning within a county is the development plan, which, under the Planning and Development Acts, must be renewed every 6 years following approval by the elected members. The legislation provides for extensive consultation with the general public, who are offered the opportunity to make submissions or observations that must be considered by the planning authority.
For its part, the draft Brú na Bóinne Management Plan acknowledges the rights of local communities - many of whom have actively participated in the conservation, preservation and promotion of the World Heritage Site - in relation to sustainable socio-economic growth and development and the need for the Plan itself to assist communities to sustain and develop social cohesion and the local economy.
In that context, among the actions in the draft Plan are commitments to:
- establish a Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site Community Forum to discuss issues relating to the World Heritage Site in general and to make observations on the implementation of the Plan;
- work with the local authorities to develop a guidance document, which provides advice on siting and design in relation to residential and agricultural development within the World Heritage Site;
- work with the local authorities to facilitate consultation with applicants regarding the siting and design of developments affecting the World Heritage Site, and the scope of any necessary impact assessments; and
- work with the local authorities and other relevant agencies in promoting and encouraging sustainable economic development in the area, particularly in tourism and agriculture.
256. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide a list of each of the current grant schemes that are administrated by her Department and that are available to community groups or projects; the total amount paid for each of these schemes for each of the past four years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27776/15]
View answerA list of the grant programmes administered directly by my Department in 2015, together with details of expenditure under these schemes in previous years, as requested by the Deputy, is set out in the following table.
|
Grant Scheme |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Scheme to assist Local and Regional Museums |
€68,000 |
€58,000 |
€171,000 |
€111,000 |
|
Cooperation with Northern Ireland Scheme |
€154,000 |
€129,000 |
€161,000 |
€155,000 |
|
Mobility of Collections Scheme |
€6,000 |
€10,000 |
€11,000 |
€8,000 |
|
Culture Night |
€193,000 |
€199,000 |
€210,000 |
€222,000 |
|
Arts Capital Funding Schemes (Small Capital Grant Scheme) |
Scheme did not operate in 2011 |
Scheme did not operate in 2012 |
€215,000 |
€329,000 |
|
Built Heritage Capital Programme |
€642,000 |
€767,000 |
€471,000 |
Scheme did not operate in 2014 |
|
Tidy Towns Biodiversity Award scheme |
€10,000 |
€2,000 |
€2,000 |
€2,000 |
|
Scéimeanna Tacaíochta Gaeilge (Language Support Schemes outside the Gaeltacht) |
€6,677,000 |
€4,612,000 |
€4,327,000 |
€3,768,000 |
|
Scéimeanna Tacaíochta Gaeilge (Language Support Schemes within the Gaeltacht) |
€2,661,000 |
€2,125,000 |
€1,806,000 |
€1,511,000 |
|
Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge (Irish Colleges) |
€4,446,000 |
€4,051,000 |
€3,773,000 |
€3,610,000 |
|
Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga (Language Assistants in Gaeltacht schools) |
€533,000 |
€682,000 |
€787,000 |
€704,000 |
|
Scéim Seirbhísí Réamhscoile agus Iarscoile sa Ghaeltacht (Pre-school and after-school services in the Gaeltacht) |
Scheme did not operate in 2011 |
Scheme did not operate in 2012 |
Scheme did not operate in 2013 |
€90,000 |
|
Scéim na gCampaí Samhraidh sa Ghaeltacht (Gaeltacht Summer Camps) |
€304,000 |
€332,000 |
€334,000 |
€266,000 |
|
Air Transport, Passenger Ferry & Cargo Services to offshore islands |
€5,938,000 |
€6,099,000 |
€5,900,000 |
€5,900,000 |
|
Capital Funding in the Gaeltacht |
€1,344,000 |
€1,439,000 |
€1,505,000 |
€1,422,000 |
|
Capital Funding for offshore islands |
€3,556,000 |
€780,000 |
€679,000 |
€642,000 |
Information in relation to the functions of my Department, as well as the programmes and schemes operated by it, can be found on my Department's website at www.ahg.gov.ie.
257. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans between now and October 2015 to ensure that the Beit paintings are not sold; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27845/15]
View answerI welcomed the recent announcement of the Alfred Beit Foundation that it had taken the decision to postpone the sale of paintings, in light of my request and the emergence of Irish donors who are considering the purchase of some of the artworks. I understand this would involve the donation of artworks to an Irish cultural institution using Section 1003 tax relief. This is a very welcome development. It is a now a matter for the Foundation to work with potential donors to make an application under the Tax Acts.
The Alfred Beit Foundation is an independent Trust and I cannot instruct it on how to do its business.
258. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an mbeidh cás An tUltach, iris atá seanbhunaithe, An Timire agus Feasta á phlé ag an gcéad chruinniú eile den Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh Theas; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [27919/15]
View answerCuireann Foras na Gaeilge maoiniú ar fáil do nuachtáin agus d’irisí Gaeilge i gcomhréir lena fheidhm reachtúil úsáid na Gaeilge a éascú agus a spreagadh ar bhonn uile-oileáin. Maidir le maoiniú a chur ar fáil do nuachtáin agus d’irisí ar leith, is ceist oibríochtúil í sin d’Fhoras na Gaeilge. Tuigtear dom go ndearna bord an Fhorais an cheist seo a mheas roinnt uaireanta agus gur tógadh sainchinntí ina leith. Tuigfidh an Teachta nach mbeadh sé cuí don Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh Theas ionchur nó tionchar a bheith aici maidir le cásanna oibríochtúla.
Bunaithe ar a straitéis pobal léitheoireachta Gaeilge inmharthana a chothú agus an luach is fearr ar airgead a chinntiú trí ábhar léitheoireachta a chur ar fáil saor in aisce ar líne, tuigtear dom go bhfuil na conarthaí foilseacháin seo a leanas bronnta ag Foras na Gaeilge mar thoradh ar chóras tairisceana poiblí: nuachtán seachtainiúil (Tuairisc.ie), iris stíl mhaireachtála (Nos.ie) agus foilseachán liteartha (Comhar).
Tuigtear dom fosta go bhfuil an straitéis seo á feidhmiú mar thoradh ar thaighde agus plé cuimsitheach ar nósanna léitheoireachta a thionscain Coiste Nuachtáin agus Irisí Fhoras na Gaeilge agus go léiríonn na figiúirí léitheoireachta go dtí seo go bhfuil ag éirí leis an chur chuige seo.
259. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the music capital scheme will be open for applications again; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27922/15]
View answerThe Music Capital Scheme is funded by my Department and managed by Music Network. I am currently considering the capital grant allocation for the Music Capital Scheme for 2015/16 and I hope to announce a decision shortly.
