Written Answers Nos. 38-50
38. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will consider the introduction of a dedicated funding stream for the purpose of constructing walking and cycling trails in rural Ireland. [31011/16]
View answerThe Rural Recreation Scheme, which falls under my Department’s remit, provides funding for the development and maintenance of rural recreation infrastructure, including cycling and walking trails, in rural Ireland.
I recently allocated €4.5 million to 75 projects around the country under the Rural Recreation Scheme. This funding included a number of walking and cycling trail projects.
My Department also provides funding to private landowners under the Rural Walks Scheme for the maintenance and upkeep of sections of National Way Marked Ways and other priority walks that traverse their lands. It is anticipated that approximately €1. 8 million will be made in payments to participants under this scheme in 2016.
I have secured an additional €8 million in Budget 2017 for my Department’s National Rural Development Schemes, which includes the Rural Recreation Scheme, the Rural Walks Scheme and the CLÁR programme. This funding will facilitate the development of new recreational facilities and the continued maintenance and promotion of existing recreational infrastructure, including cycling and walking trails.
In addition, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport provides funding for a programme of greenways, which benefit both cyclists and walkers throughout the country.
41. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 124 of 17 May 2016, if she has had any discussions with the Minister for Social Protection as regards establishing a specific payment for artists and musicians starting out in their careers; if there are any interdepartmental initiatives in place or planned to ensure support for persons in this position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31016/16]
View answerI have had discussions with the Minister for Social Protection in relation to the recognition of artists within the social protection system. Officials from both our Departments have been tasked with investigating the issue and will report back in due course.
In relation to other supports, it should be noted that in Budget 2017 I secured a series of funding increases across the arts and cultural bodies under my remit. These include
- an extra €5m for the Arts Council - an 8% increase;
- €2m extra for the Film Board;
- an extra €1m for Culture Ireland;
- a significant additional allocation of €3.5m for the national cultural institutions; and
- a new funding stream of €5m for the implementation of a Culture 2025 /Ireland 2016 Legacy Programme, details of which I will be announcing shortly.
All of this represents real and substantial funding increases across the arts and cultural area and has been welcomed across the sector. It also re-affirms the commitment of this Government to progressively increase funding for the arts as the economy improves, as set out in the Programme for a Partnership Government. These increases will have a positive and distinct impact on arts and cultural provision around the country, especially for artists and other creative workers.
The Arts Council, of course, is the main mechanism through which the Government directs funding to the arts and to artists and the 8% increase in its annual budget will allow the Council to enhance support to artists and arts organisations around the country on both a small and large scale, from locally based groups to the Abbey Theatre.
42. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to improve the working environment for artists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31158/16]
View answerI have retained the majority of the €18 million current funding which was provided for the 2016 Commemorations for reallocation to arts and cultural purposes within my Department’s vote. It will, therefore, become part of the baseline figures for my Department, meaning that it will be carried forward into future years.
Budget 2017 will include
- an additional €5 million for the Arts Council, an 8% increase in its annual budget;
- increased funding for all of the National Cultural Institutions;
- an increase of €2 million for the Irish Film Board and €1 million for Culture Ireland; and
- an additional €1 million to the Heritage Council.
I have also secured a new funding stream of €5m for the implementation of a Culture 2025 /Ireland 2016 Legacy Programme, which will allow me to build on the positive legacy of the Ireland 2016 commemorations. I will be announcing details of this new initiative shortly.
All of this represents real and substantial funding increases across the arts and cultural area and has been welcomed across the sector. It also re-affirms the commitment of this Government to progressively increase funding for the arts as the economy improves, as set out in the Programme for a Partnership Government.
The Arts Council is, of course, the main mechanism through which the Government directs funding to the arts and to artists and the 8% increase in its annual budget will allow the Council to enhance support to artists and arts organisations. The Council provides significant support to individual artists through bursaries, as well as individual grants. Last year the Arts Council published its new Strategy Statement Making Great Art Work. This sets out the Council’s plans to lead the development of the arts in the decade to 2025 and prioritises two policy areas – the artist and public engagement.
The place of artists in society has also been recognised in the draft framework policy Éire Ildánach/Culture 2025, which was forwarded to the Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs last July.
Furthermore, my Department continues to work with other Departments to promote the cultural and creative industries within the framework of the Government’s overall objectives under the Action Plan for Jobs. All of the measures to support art, culture and film re-affirm the commitment of this Government to progressively increase funding for the arts as the economy improves and also reflect the importance attached to promoting and supporting our artistic and cultural strengths, and supporting jobs in our creative industries.
Earlier this year, I 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. It is my priority to target investment at securing and enhancing existing cultural facilities which will assist in improving the working environment for many artists.
43. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent to which it is anticipated progress can be made towards providing and extending modern technology, such as broadband, mobile telephony and other sought-after services in rural and urban areas, with a view to ensuring the highest quality of such services at all locations throughout the country, thereby enhancing the quality of life for the residents therein and the attractiveness for job-creating investment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31140/16]
View answerThe Programme for a Partnership Government has committed to the delivery of next generation broadband to every household and business in the country through the National Broadband Plan. The Plan comes under the remit of the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Denis Naughten T.D. However, as Minster with responsibility for the revitalisation of rural Ireland, I intend to ensure that there are no unnecessary delays in the roll-out of broadband to rural communities once the contacts for the areas to be covered by State intervention under the National Broadband Plan are awarded next year.
In this regard, I have established two Regional Broadband Action Groups, which involve all Local Authorities in the country, to ensure that there are no barriers to the deployment of broadband and to identify priority connection points for the advance roll-out of telecommunications infrastructure in each county. The Action Groups will also assist with the development of local digital strategies to ensure that when each county is broadband-enabled, they can maximise the economic and social opportunity at their disposal.
Earlier this year, along with Minister Naughten, I also established a Mobile Phone & Broadband Taskforce to identify and recommend practical actions that can be taken in the short term to improve mobile reception and broadband access in Ireland. The Taskforce will finalise its work shortly with a view to bringing forward a list of recommendations for the Government’s consideration by the end of the year.
44. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Peadar Tóibín den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cé mhéad airgid atá á chaitheamh ag an Rialtas ar sheirbhísí tacaíochta le haghaidh teaghlaigh atá ag tógáil a gclainne le Gaeilge taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht. [31132/16]
View answerTá beagnach €60m curtha ar fáil sna Meastacháin 2016 do mo Roinn don chlár Gaeilge, Gaeltachta agus Oileán, maoiniú don bhForas Teanga san áireamh. Is féidir leis an Teachta glacadh leis go bhfuil mo Roinnse ag obair ar bhonn leanúnach, taobh istigh de na hacmhainní atá ar fáil, chun gach tacaíocht agus is féidir a chur ar fáil chun an Ghaeilge chur chun cinn, tacaíocht do theaghlaigh atá ag tógáil a gclainne le Gaeilge taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht san áireamh.
Tríd an mhaoiniú díreach a thagann ó mo Roinne, cuireann Foras na Gaeilge maoiniú bliantúil ar fáil do Ghlór na nGael, atá ceaptha mar cheanneagraíocht náisiúnta chun a chinntiú go bhfuil tacaíocht agus comhairle ar fáil do theaghlaigh ar fud na tíre atá ag tógáil a bpáistí le Gaeilge. Tuigtear dom go bhfuil allúntas de €1,089,510 ceadaithe do Ghlór na nGael sa bhliain 2016.
Cuireann Foras na Gaeilge maoiniú bliantúil ar fáil do Ghaeloideachas freisin - nó Gaelscoileanna mar ab fhearr aithne uirthi roimhe seo - atá ceaptha mar cheanneagra í ocht náisiúnta le freagracht i ndáil le tumoideachas, gaeloideachas agus réamhscolaíocht lán-Ghaeilge. Tuigtear dom go bhfuil allúntas de €715,719 ceadaithe do Ghaeloideachas i mbliana.
Mar is eol don Teachta, tá ról reachtúil ag Foras na Gaeilge chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn i ngach gné den saol ar fud oileán na hÉireann. Tá iliomad oibre idir lámha aige ar bhonn leanúnach a thacaíonn le tógáil clainne le Gaeilge, cé nach féidir briseadh síos airgeadúil a thabhairt ar gach gné den obair sin. Tuigtear dom, mar shampla, go bhfuil Foras na Gaeilge ag obair leis na páirtithe leasmhara cuí ag dréachtú I dTreo Plean Straitéiseach don Ghaeilge mar Theanga Chlainne agus gur ceadaíodh luach €122,866.43 do Scéim na gCampaí Samhraidh, mar aon le €120,630.07 do Scéim na nImeachtaí Óige, in 2016.
Anuas air seo, tá tacaíocht ar fáil ó mo Roinn féin agus ó Fhoras na Gaeilge chun cabhrú leis an aos óg trí thionscnaimh ar leith, ar nós scéim TechSpace as Gaeilge, Raidió Rí-Rá, An Cumann Scoildrámaíochta, Scéim na dTionscadail Litríochta, an Ciste Réamhscolaíochta, Scéim na Foilsitheoireachta agus ar eile.
Is fiú tagairt a dhéanamh chomh maith don tionscnamh faoi leith ar chuir mo Roinnse tús leis in 2012 faoina gcuirtear pacáiste teanga ar fáil do theaghlaigh atá ag tógáil clainne le Gaeilge nó a dteastaíonn uatha é sin a dhéanamh. Cé go bhfuil an tionscnamh seo dírithe ar theaghlaigh na Gaeltachta, tá ráchairt suntasach ar an bpacáiste ó theaghlaigh lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht chomh maith. Ó cuireadh tús leis an tionscnamh, tá breis agus 4,800 pacáiste dáilte - idir theaghlaigh laistigh agus lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht - ar chostas beagnach €159,000.
Tá tuilleadh eolais maidir leis na scéimeanna seo ar fáil ar shuíomh idirlín na Roinne ag www.ahrrga.gov.ie agus ar shuíomh Fhoras na Gaeilge ag www.forasnagaeilge.ie.
45. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Bríd Smith den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sí sásta go mbeidh a thuilleadh ciorruithe ar scéimeanna Fhoras na Gaeilge in 2017 ós rud é nach ndearnadh aon mhéadú ar an maoiniú dóibh i mbuiséad 2017 agus gurb airde costais an bhliain seo chugainn nuair a chuirfear breisithe tuarastail foirne agus costais is airde trádála ginearálta san áireamh; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [31147/16]
View answerDírím aird an Teachta ar an bhfreagra a thug mé ar Cheisteanna Uimh 329 agus 330 ar 11 Deireadh Fómhair 2016.
Is soláthar airgid sealadach atá curtha ar leataobh ón Státchiste trí phróiseas na Meastachán sa dlínse seo d’Fhoras na Gaeilge mar áisíneacht den bhforas trasteorann, An Foras Teanga. Ar ndóigh, bíonn cómhaoiniú ó thuaidh agus ó dheas i gceist do na forais trasteorann uile agus is í an Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh Theas a cheadaíonn an buiséad do na forais sin, Foras na Gaeilge san áireamh.
47. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason a €6 million cut was carried out in budget 2017 to islands and Gaeltacht communities, taking into account the threat these communities already face to their survival, particularly in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31035/16]
View answerAn additional allocation of €2.25m in total was provided in Budget 2017 for the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and Islands Programme.
With regard to Údarás na Gaeltachta, an additional €1m in once-off capital funding had been secured as part of the 2016 Revised Estimates. This has been retained for next year, which means that €6.687m is the new capital baseline in Budget 2017 for Údarás na Gaeltachta – an increase of €1m on the baseline in Budget 2016. In addition, I have secured an additional allocation of €2.4m for Údarás for capital projects in 2016. I will continue to seek additional capital resources for Údarás over the coming period.
With regard to current funding, the additional amount of €1 .5m provided in Budget 2017 for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht will enable my Department to allocate extra resources to the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language, the language planning process, Gaeltacht support schemes such as the Irish Language Colleges and Gaeltacht community groups funded by Údarás na Gaeltachta.
The Budget Estimates for 2017, which were published recently by my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, contain an allocation of €46.736m in total for programme expenditure on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands. This compares to a budget of €51.21 million for 2016. The reduction is mainly attributable to a reduction in the capital allocation in 2017. There was a €6 million allocation in 2016 for development works on Inis Oírr pier – which were not ready to proceed this year – and a sum of €2 million is being provided for 2017. I am satisfied this will be sufficient to advance the development in 2017 and, of course, a further allocation will be made to the project in 2018. In addition, the 2016 Estimates included an allocation of €1.9 million for Ionad Cultúrtha an Phiarsaigh in Ros Muc. This project will be completed this year and will not require a financial allocation in 2017.
48. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she is satisfied that vulnerable injured hares were released without veterinary attention, placing them at greater risk of predator attack, after a coursing meeting in Liscannor on 27 September 2015. [31009/16]
View answerIt is a licence condition that a qualified veterinary surgeon should be in attendance during all coursing meetings and that a signed report on the general health of the hare, including in relation to any injuries of hares that occur during the meeting, should be submitted to my Department.
The Liscannor meeting in September 2015 was attended by a conservation ranger of my Department who monitored the release of the hares following the conclusion of the meeting. The official who approved the release of the hares identified that three hares appeared to have an injury but this was not considered a matter of concern at the time. Furthermore, I understand that the veterinary surgeon present at the meeting indicated to the conservation ranger that she had inspected the hares prior to release and that there were no concerns arising.
49. Deputy John Curran asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the length of time she expects a centre (details supplied) to be used to provide accommodation under the direct provision scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31187/16]
View answerThe current contract at the centre concerned will expire on 3 December 2018. At this point in time, it is expected that the contract will run for its agreed period. As the requirements for accommodation at any time are demand driven, it is not possible to make an assessment on any future contracts at the centre until closer to the expiry date.
50. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 15 of 16 September 2016, if she has knowledge of an expert report on land surveying (details supplied); if that report was known to her officials and the Property Registration Authority, PRA, when she provided her reply; and her views on whether practices based on negligent procedures must be targeted for reform. [31214/16]
View answerI have been informed by the Property Registration Authority (PRA) that it is aware of the contents of a 2014 Report entitled "Towards the Registration of Defined Property Boundaries in Ireland" which was prepared by the Inter-Professional Task Force on Property Boundaries. The report contains recommendations concerning the existing non-conclusive boundary model which has been in operation in Ireland since 1892.
The statutory functions and procedures of the PRA are set out in the Registration of Deeds and Title Acts 1964 and 2006 and the Land Registration Rules 2012 - 2013. Details of its Mapping Practice standards are available on its website, www.prai.ie. The Authority's objective is to ensure that all maps lodged for registration comply fully with its mapping standards.
The recommendations set out in Chapter 7 of the 2014 Report advocate a move away from the State's long-standing property registration model and are at variance with current registration of title policy and existing legislative provisions. The changes advocated in the Report would add significant additional costs to the conveyancing process, have the potential to disturb existing titles to registered property and exacerbate the risk of boundary disputes. Moreover, implementation of such changes could increase the exposure of the State to compensation claims.
The Deputy's Question of 16 September 2016 raised matters concerning property boundary disputes and as I outlined in my reply at that time, I am advised that the PRA is not aware of any recent increases relating to boundary disputes. While the PRA is aware of the report referred to by the Deputy and other studies, it is notable that no concerns relating to a perceived increase in boundary disputes have been raised via the PRA's Customer Focus Forum, a forum where the PRA engages with solicitors, surveyors, engineers and architects in relation to all matters pertaining to property registration. I am assured by the PRA that it has in place robust structures whereby the registered owners of properties or their representatives can engage with the PRA in relation to matters pertaining to the mapped representation of the registration.
The Deputy will be aware that a Government decision was taken to merge the PRA with Ordnance Survey Ireland and the Valuation Office to form a new statutory body, Tailte Éireann, for which legislation is currently being drafted. Among the issues to be examined in the context of the merger are the strategic goals and priorities of the prospective merged organisation. It is anticipated that this will provide an opportunity to derive significant added value from the bringing together of the rich data holdings of the three organisations concerned. Any potential changes to the mapping system as well as submissions or proposals from representative organisations could be considered in that context.
