Written Answers Nos. 1 - 27
4. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for the regeneration of rural towns and villages (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19896/16]
View answerIreland’s towns and villages are the focus of the social, commercial and civic life of their wider communities. Research conducted by the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) has, however, shown that rural towns have felt the impact of the economic challenges of recent years more acutely than cities and larger urban centres. This significant deterioration of many small towns and villages throughout the country is clearly visible in the form of empty shops, abandoned buildings, vacant lands and a generally poor environment to live in or visit. Targeted action is needed to arrest this decline and instead harness the regeneration potential of our towns and villages to support a now recovering economy.
The introduction of a new scheme to support town and village regeneration is part of a concerted effort to support the development of rural towns and villages, not only as a component of a broader approach to rural development but also to improve the environment of rural dwellers in a way that will increase their quality of life and simultaneously enhance their potential to support potential economic activity in their area in the future.
I will shortly be launching the 2016 Town and Village Renewal scheme, which will be delivered by local authorities in conjunction with local communities and development organisations. The type of projects to be funded under this initiative will primarily be a matter for the local authorities to identify in partnership with their communities. However, the overall intention of the funding would be to focus on increasing the attractiveness of the town or village as a local commercial and social centre, enhancing its environment and tackling minor physical infrastructural deficits and land assembly issues. The 2016 scheme will be strategically focused on the rural towns and villages that require assistance to stimulate new development and regeneration locally. It will specifically target small towns and villages with populations of 5,000 or less.
14. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to restore the cuts that were made to the arts budget and increase funding further to 0.3% of gross domestic product; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19892/16]
View answerThe Programme for a Partnership Government contains a very important commitment to work to progressively increase funding to the arts, including the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board, as the economy continues to improve.
I can assure the Deputy that I will be engaging with my colleagues in Government and with the Oireachtas to seek to advance this commitment in the context of the forthcoming estimates and budgetary processes.
I understand that the figures quoted by the Deputy are from a Council of Europe project called Compendium - Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe. I understand that many European counties are not included in the figures, including ten EU member states. The data for the Compendium project are provided by independent researchers and it is not a standardised system for collection of statistics.
I further understand that Compendium itself warns that data provided by the researchers are not comparable across countries because each researcher includes different elements in the definition of culture and these elements are reflected in the figures for public expenditure. For example, local authority expenditure on the arts, artists, exemption tax relief, expenditure on public service broadcasting and the Irish language are all examples of elements not included in the Council of Europe figures for Ireland but included in the figures for some other countries.
Expenditure on the arts in Ireland comes from multiple sources, both public and private. I understand that the CSO does not produce national statistics that capture the totality of this expenditure as a percentage of GDP.
The issue of a definition of culture and of capturing public expenditure on culture is one that was discussed in the public consultation process held for the purpose of developing Ireland's first national Cultural Policy Framework, Culture 2025. As I have previously stated, I do consider that further research on this issue is warranted in the context of Culture 2025.
The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the publication of Culture 2025 as a priority. My Department is continuing to consider inputs on the draft document from the Steering and Expert Groups, which I established, and I expect to forward a draft for consideration to the relevant Oireachtas Committee shortly.
15. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her role in rolling out broadband to rural communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19853/16]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan aims to conclusively address Ireland’s connectivity challenges, by ensuring that every premises in the country has access to high speed broadband services. This is being achieved through measures to incentivise and accelerate industry investment, and an ambitious investment programme by the State, in areas where industry will not invest.
The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources’s Department is responsible for advancing the procurement process to select a winning bidder or bidders for the contract, which will comprise one or two lots, as set out in the national broadband plan intervention strategy. It is expected that a contract or contracts will be awarded by June 2017.
The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to measures to assist in the roll-out of the rural broadband network once a contract is awarded. In this regard, I will establish a number of local/regional broadband taskforces, working with Local Authorities, Local Enterprise Offices, LEADER Groups and other relevant agencies. The taskforces will help accelerate the broadband network build in rural Ireland, by ensuring that there are no local barriers to deployment and by identifying priority areas for rollout. To this end, they will also develop Rural Digital Strategies, which will include proposals for regional digital hubs.
I will also meet with each Local Authority Chief Executive over the coming period to reinforce the importance of the rollout of broadband. I will be asking them to prioritise actions to overcome any possible barriers and to ensure there will be no unnecessary delays to the rollout of this vital infrastructure to rural communities.
16. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for the increased development of blueway trails such as the Shannon-Erne blueway; her views on how these trails can be utilised to attract visitors to rural counties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19856/16]
View answerWaterways Ireland has been actively progressing the development of Blueways as a means to attract new visitors to use the waterways and in response to the growth in demand for recreational activities such as walking, canoeing, cycling and stand up paddle boarding.
The first Blueway was launched in October 2014 on the Shannon and it has been very successful. It links Drumshanbo with Carrick-on-Shannon and comprises a 16.5km paddling trail, a 10km walking trail and a 5km cycle trail. The 10km Camlin River paddling loop is also in operation.
The Shannon-Erne Blueway, which I had the privilege of officially opening on 28 May 2016, links Leitrim Village with Belturbet, Co Cavan and provides a 70km series of paddling journeys, 25kms of walking trails and 8kms of cycling trails. There are also plans to upgrade a further 8kms this year. Based on existing monitoring of visitor usage, Waterways Ireland expects that 100,000 people will use the Shannon-Erne Blueway over the next year.
Further development on the Shannon which is planned for 2016 includes:
- A 20km trail from Carrick-on-Shannon to Boyle;
- A 50km trail from Carrick-on-Shannon to Lanesborough, and
- A 30km looped trail around Lough Allen.
On the Royal Canal and Grand Canals, 45kms and 21kms of towpath trails have been developed respectively. Plans for upgrading the remaining towpaths on these canals are at varying stages and Waterways Ireland is working with various stakeholders, including the local authorities, LEADER groups, the National Transport Authority and the National Trails Office, to progress these developments.
On the Barrow Navigation, Waterways Ireland plans to submit proposals to upgrade the Barrow towpath to the relevant planning authorities shortly. This will enhance the 112kms of off-road trackway from Lowtown in Co. Kildare to St Mullins in Co Carlow.
Clearly, the development of Blueways presents valuable opportunities for rural communities to attract more visitors. Their value lies not only in the recreational opportunities that they offer but also in their potential to stimulate local businesses and regenerate local areas. Blueways also provide an effective model for partnership between the private, community and voluntary sectors and relevant State bodies.
I am strongly of the view that the new configuration of my Department will offer significant opportunities for enhanced partnership on these matters and I look forward to working with my colleague, Minister of State Michael Ring, to that end.
18. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when Richmond Barracks in Dublin 8 will open for tours to the public; her views on the potential tourism benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19874/16]
View answerThe Government is supporting a number of flagship capital projects for the 1916 centenary year, which, combined, will create a lasting legacy of 1916 that will, I believe, be of continuing interest to the public into the future.
One of these ‘permanent reminder’ projects involved the restoration and adaptation through a Dublin City Community Partnership of two buildings that were part of Richmond Barracks - in particular the building where the 1916 leaders were interned and court-martialed. It also includes the creation of an exhibition and interpretive space and will be a great amenity for the public and the local community as a modern heritage site. The project is managed by Dublin City Council via two structures - the Dublin City Council Steering Group and the Richmond Barracks Advisory Committee.
The project was completed on schedule and the new centre was officially launched on 2 May 2016 by the Lord Mayor of Dublin to coincide with the centenary of the first court martial of the 1916 Rising leaders.
As I informed the Deputy in my reply to his Question No 59 of 1 June 2016, Dublin City Council will be responsible for the day to day management of the building. However, I understand that the facility is now open to the public and will also be available for various events, including small-scale conferences. There are scheduled tours each day, with all information being made available at www.richmondbarracks.ie.
Richmond Barracks is a new tourism product. Focussed and targeted marketing will be key to raise awareness of the facility to ensure that it generates appropriate footfall. The Ireland 2016 Project Office within my Department will continue to work closely with colleagues in Dublin City Council and the OPW to ensure maximum publicity for this initiative.
19. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding hedge cutting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19897/16]
View answerSection 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976, as amended, prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August.
Following a review of Section 40, which involved, inter alia, consideration of submissions from interested parties, I announced proposals in December 2015 to introduce legislation to allow for managed hedge cutting and burning at certain times within the existing closed period on a pilot two year basis. The legislation required to allow for these pilot measures was included in the Heritage Bill 2016, which was published in January 2016 and subsequently completed Second Stage in Seanad Éireann.
Steps are in hand to reintroduce the Heritage Bill into Seanad Éireann at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, the existing provisions relating to Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts are still in operation.
20. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the health and safety requirements that prevented the Lord Mayor of Dublin from visiting the site of the national monument in Moore Street, Dublin 1; and her views that the Lord Mayor should have been afforded the opportunity to visit this site. [19868/16]
View answerSince works were suspended, the only access to the national monument buildings, which are a construction site, has been by construction professionals with the requisite health and safety training for the purposes of essential maintenance and monitoring.
There are a number of potential health and safety issues associated with the site and its layout that render it unsuitable for other visitors while works were suspended, or indeed while the current interim works approved by the High Court are in progress. These include significant elements of temporary support works, underpinning of existing structures to maintain temporary stability, uneven walking surfaces, awkward access and layout and restricted circulation within the site. There are also legal obligations with regard to responsibility for the safety of any and all persons who may enter on to it.
In the circumstances, access will generally have to remain limited to construction personnel until such time as it is confirmed that the site may be opened to other visitors.
21. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 177 of 18 November 2015, the outcome of her Ireland 2016 project team's exploration of options on a proposal to erect a memorial in O'Connell Street, Dublin 1, dedicated to the role of women in Ireland's struggle for independence; and her plans for such a memorial. [19873/16]
View answerMy officials are working closely with Dublin City Council to finalise a proposal to commemorate the role of women in the Easter Rising. I will announce details of this in the coming weeks.
22. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will create an arts capital fund modelled on the sports capital fund to ensure improved long-term funding for the arts. [19862/16]
View answerI announced a new €9 million investment scheme for arts and cultural centres to run over the next three years, focussed on enhancing the existing stock of such centres around the country. The funding is being made available as part of the Capital Investment Framework 2016-2021.
My Department’s scheme will target investment at a range of different facilities and will be broken down into three streams as follows:-
- The refurbishment and enhancement of existing purpose-built arts and cultural facilities, with maximum grants of €300,000. Eligible facilities would include arts centres, theatres, galleries, museums, artists’ studios and creative spaces (Stream 1).
- Significant improvements to a smaller number of key facilities. Ideally, projects seeking this stream of funding would have financial support from the relevant local authority. Grants of up to €2 million may be offered under this stream (Stream 2).
- Smaller grants of up to €20,000 for community or voluntary organisations operating in facilities, which have not been purpose-built (Stream 3).
It is my priority to target investment at the enhancement of existing cultural facilities.
My Department is finalising the guidelines and application forms in relation to the scheme, which I intend to open for applications shortly.
23. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to increase funding for the arts to the European Union average of 0.6% of gross domestic product; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19850/16]
View answerThe Programme for a Partnership Government contains a very important commitment to work to progressively increase funding to the arts, including the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board, as the economy continues to improve.
I can assure the Deputy that I will be engaging with my colleagues in Government and with the Oireachtas to seek to advance this commitment in the context of the forthcoming estimates and budgetary processes.
I understand that the figures quoted by the Deputy are from a Council of Europe project called Compendium - Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe. I understand that many European counties are not included in the figures, including ten EU member states. The data for the Compendium project are provided by independent researchers and it is not a standardised system for collection of statistics.
I further understand that Compendium itself warns that data provided by the researchers are not comparable across countries because each researcher includes different elements in the definition of culture and these elements are reflected in the figures for public expenditure. For example, local authority expenditure on the arts, artists, exemption tax relief, expenditure on public service broadcasting and the Irish language are all examples of elements not included in the Council of Europe figures for Ireland but included in the figures for some other countries.
Expenditure on the arts in Ireland comes from multiple sources, both public and private. I understand that the CSO does not produce national statistics that capture the totality of this expenditure as a percentage of GDP.
The issue of a definition of culture and of capturing public expenditure on culture is one that was discussed in the public consultation process held for the purpose of developing Ireland's first national Cultural Policy Framework, Culture 2025. As I have previously stated, I do consider that further research on this issue is warranted in the context of Culture 2025.
The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the publication of Culture 2025 as a priority. My Department is continuing to consider inputs on the draft document from the Steering and Expert Groups, which I established, and I expect to forward a draft for consideration to the relevant Oireachtas Committee shortly.
24. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she and her Department expect to be in a position to continue to utilise events of a cultural and heritage nature to promote the national image at home and abroad with particular reference to the need to generate increased interest in such matters among young persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19889/16]
View answerThe full range of investment which my Department makes right across the Arts and Heritage sectors makes a significant contributes to our national image. Much of this investment is also of huge interest and benefit to young people, for example, investment in museums and cultural centres, in creative activity as funded through the Arts Council and through Irish film.
The Programme for a Partnership Government recalls how our arts and culture were highlighted during the successful 1916 Commemorations, and how they were seen to be intrinsic to the Irish State itself. Those elements of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme which focused on schools and young people were particularly successful in capturing the imagination.
On the international stage, my Department through Culture Ireland supports Irish artists to present their work worldwide. This serves to raise the global awareness of the strong reputation of the Irish arts sector, develop new audiences abroad for Irish artists and highlight Ireland as a country with a strong creative sector.
Culture Ireland supported Irish artists in over 300 events in 2015, winning high profile awards and critical recognition and seen by a live audience of approximately 3 million audience members with a further 6.5 million online/radio/television viewers. It is expected a similar number of events will be supported in 2016, in addition to a further 130 events funded under the ‘I Am Ireland’ programme. A special focus around St Patrick’s Day, a key period for raising the profile of Ireland globally, saw over 80 events in 16 countries supported in 2016..
My Department, together with the Arts Council and Heritage Council, also continues to support local events and festivals throughout Ireland, all of which contribute to promoting our national image.
In relation to young people, the Arts in Education Charter has been a landmark development in relation to the promotion of arts education and arts in education in Ireland. The Charter is an initiative of my Department and the Department of Education and Skills, working in association with the Arts Council. My Department is involved in ongoing liaison with the Department of Education and Skills on the implementation of the Arts in Education Charter objectives. The Programme for a Partnership Government also recognises the Charter as providing an unprecedented opportunity for children and young people to engage in a proactive and meaningful way with arts in education in Ireland and commits to its implementation.
All of these initiatives are important in promoting our national image, both at home and abroad, and in generating increased interest in cultural matters among our young people.
25. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has assessed the success and impact of the State's commemorative events held throughout the Easter period; if attendance figures are available for the various events; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19886/16]
View answerA large number of events took place over the Easter weekend as part of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme, all of which were very well attended by guests and members of the public alike.
The military parade and ceremony past the GPO on Easter Sunday saw approximately 4,500 guests attending - predominantly relatives of those who took part in the 1916 Rising - as well as many thousands of citizens participating right along the parade route. Easter Monday saw the largest public history and cultural event ever staged in Ireland, with more than 500 free talks, exhibitions, music, theatre, debates and performances across a number of venues and zones in Dublin City Centre. Official estimates indicate that over 1 million people were present to participate in and enjoy these two events alone.
Feedback from members of the public and the media clearly indicated the very positive engagement of citizens with the commemorative events, as well as the extent to which they felt a great sense of national pride and respect during this historic time.
The Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme is a year-long initiative, with a huge diversity of programmes and events running throughout 2016. While a large number of the key events took place around the Easter period, the Programme will continue through the remainder of 2016 and there are many exciting and innovative programmes and initiatives planned, including a large number of activities at local level. I am confident that our citizens will continue to engage with the Programme over the coming months.
I have asked my officials to assess the approach that should be adopted to appropriately gauge the impact of the Centenary Programme, as we move towards the conclusion of the year’s events, and this work will be advanced in the coming period.
26. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 208 of 23 June 2016, the membership of the expert committee; its terms of service; how she made these appointments; when the committee will complete its report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19838/16]
View answerA discussion document on Culture 2025 was published in August 2015. The drafting of that document was informed by input from a colloquium of cultural stakeholders organised by my Department in association with the Royal Irish Academy on 25 May 2015. An Expert Group was then established to provide feedback and advice at key points during the consultation and drafting process of the Culture 2025 Framework Policy. The membership of the Expert Group was largely based on the membership of the colloquium, together with a representative of the then Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland and the Chair of the Association of Local Authority Arts Officers. This Expert Group has broad representation across arts and cultural interests. A list of the current members of the Group is attached for circulation with the Official Report. It should be noted that attendance and representation varied at meetings.
While the Expert Group is providing advice and guidance, it should be noted that the proposed Policy Framework is being developed directly by my Department. My Department is also assisted by a smaller Steering Group made up of a subset of the wider Expert Group.
The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the publication of Culture 2025 as a priority. My Department is continuing to consider inputs on the draft document from the Steering and Expert Groups and I expect to forward a draft for consideration to the relevant Oireachtas Committee shortly. Any future role for the Expert Group will be considered following the conclusion of the process leading to the publication of Culture 2025.
Culture 2025: Membership of Expert Group
|
Name |
Position |
|
Feargal Ó Coigligh (Chair) |
Assistant Secretary, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht |
|
Kevin Lonergan |
Principal Officer, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht |
|
Professor Ciaran Benson |
Emeritus Professor of Psychology, UCD, former Chair of the Arts Council |
|
Dr Sandra Collins |
Director, National Library of Ireland |
|
Pat Cooke |
Director, MA in Cultural Policy and Arts Management, UCD |
|
Professor Michael Cronin, MRIA |
Centre for Translation & Textual Studies, DCU |
|
Professor Mary Daly |
President, Royal Irish Academy |
|
Martin Drury |
Formerly of the Arts Council |
|
Sarah Glennie |
Director, Irish Museum of Modern Art |
|
Lorelei Harris |
Head of Arts & Cultural Strategy, RTÉ |
|
Andrew Hetherington |
Director, Business to Arts |
|
Kerry McCall |
Institute of Art, Design & Technology, and National Campaign for the Arts |
|
Mary McCarthy |
Director National Sculpture Factory, Cork, Chair of Culture Ireland, Board Member of IMMA |
|
Professor Declan McGonagle |
Former Director, NCAD |
|
Helen Shenton |
Librarian & College Archivist, TCD |
|
Dr Mary Shine Thompson |
Lecturer in English, DCU, and Chair, Encountering the Arts Ireland |
|
Willie White |
Artistic Director, Dublin Theatre Festival |
|
Angela McAllister |
Representative of the then Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Northern Ireland |
|
Traolach Ó Fionnáin |
Chair of the Association of Local Authority Arts Officers |
|
Páid Ó Neachtain |
Oifigeach Gaeilge, Comhairle Contae na Gaillimhe |
27. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of her plans for a Famine memorial in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin 11; and her further plans to assign a fixed memorial day to commemorate the Great Famine, given that this tragedy has played a part in shaping Ireland and much of the world. [19869/16]
View answerThe National Famine Commemoration will take place on September 11th in Glasnevin Cemetery. As in previous years, the ceremony will include the unveiling of a permanent memorial at the site of the commemoration. Meetings between officials from my Department and the Glasnevin Trust in relation to both the arrangements for the commemoration itself and the memorial are ongoing.
With regard to a fixed memorial day, the National Famine Commemoration Committee has previously discussed the issue of a fixed date for the commemoration and is of the view that flexibility regarding the date is preferable. This flexibility allows space to adapt to the demanding schedules faced by the President and An Taoiseach with a view to their leading the official representation at the annual National Famine Commemoration ceremony whenever possible, and also to allow for any particular circumstances that may arise from time to time around the arrangements.
I am satisfied that the retention of flexibility in relation to the date of the commemoration does not detract from its key aim, which is to have a fitting national ceremony to remember and show respect for all those who died or suffered loss during the Great Famine. In fact, this flexibility facilitates the commemoration being held in the most appropriate context each year, maximising the quality of the programme and the levels of public attention it receives. In the circumstances, I have no plans to designate a fixed date for the National Famine Commemoration.
