Written Answers Nos. 1- 69
51. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to build on the tourism offering in rural counties such as Longford and Westmeath through the development of greenways for walking and cycling; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4002/17]
View answerThe Tourism sector supports many thousands of jobs in rural areas and the Action Plan for Rural Development recognises that the sector offers further opportunities to support economic development in rural communities. The Plan sets out 50 actions designed to maximise our rural tourism and recreation potential. It also places a particular emphasis on the development and promotion of Activity Tourism in rural areas, through the development of Greenways, Blueways and other niche tourism products.
As part of the Action Plan, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport will prepare a new strategy this year to underpin the development, funding and promotion of Greenways to support activity tourism in rural areas and provide a boost to local economies. This strategy will be delivered in the second quarter of 2017.
My own Department will fund the Rural Recreation Scheme, which provides funding for the upkeep and development of recreational infrastructure. Over the lifetime of the Action Plan, we will also double the number of trails included in the National Walks Scheme and will develop a Public Outdoor Recreation Amenities Plan to transform the provision of outdoor recreation facilities on publicly-owned land and waterways. My Department will work closely with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, relevant State agencies and other key stakeholders to deliver these actions.
One of the key objectives of the Action Plan is to increase overseas tourists to rural Ireland by 12% by 2019. The Central Statistics Office last week announced that 9.6 million overseas visitors came to Ireland in 2016. While the breakdown of destinations for those visitors is not yet available, figures for 2015 indicate that 85% of overseas tourists visited at least one region outside of Dublin.
53. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way in which the action plan for rural development will help elderly persons in rural communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4127/17]
View answerThe Action Plan for Rural Development provides a framework of supports to improve the lives of people who live and work in rural Ireland. It is the first Plan of its kind to address both the economic and social needs of rural Ireland through a whole-of-Government approach.
The Plan includes number of initiatives across a range of Departments which will have a particular benefit for elderly people in rural Ireland. For example:
- The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government will invest in the Seniors Alert Scheme, which facilitates valuable community-based support for vulnerable older people living alone, particularly in isolated areas.
- The Minister for Health has committed to improving access to GP services in rural areas, and to delivering 18 new primary care centres in rural Ireland by the end of 2018. This will help elderly people in rural Ireland to access services in their communities. The Minister has also committed to investing €435 million in 90 public nursing facilities and district and community hospitals in rural Ireland up to 2021.
- The HSE will maintain the network of senior helplines in operation throughout the country, to help address issues such as loneliness and isolation in rural areas.
- The implementation of the National Positive Ageing Strategy will also support older people in staying healthy and involved in their local communities.
- The Garda Síochána will continue to support and prioritise community crime prevention schemes, including the Neighbourhood Watch and Text Alert schemes, and a new Community CCTV Grant Aid scheme will be introduced.
- The National Transport Authority will work with rural communities to assess and implement improvements to existing rural transport routes and develop new rural transport routes as necessary. The Authority will also ensure that all Rural Transport Programme vehicles are accessible, having regard to passenger needs.
The Action Plan will be reviewed on an ongoing basis to monitor the progress of these, and all other measures in the Plan.
57. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the status of the capital spending programme for the National Archives and the National Library; the timeframe for when the two projects will be completed and both institutions will be fully functioning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3784/17]
View answerMy Department is providing €8m for the first phase in a three-phase capital development plan to address deficiencies in the National Archives premises in Bishop Street and is working with the National Archives and the OPW to advance this project. The OPW has appointed a design team to the project and work is ongoing to finalise the design. It is expected that this will be completed shortly and that project will go out to tender this year.
In relation to the National Library I have announced a capital investment of €10m for the Library's historic Kildare Street premises. As with the Archives, my Department is working with the National Library and the OPW to advance this project as part of a phased programme of works. Design work is well advanced on the project and I would expect works to start this year .
I am confident that the investment plan will help transform the Library into a world-class facility for the storage and display of some of our most important historical documents.
Together these two investment programmes will allow the National Archives and the National Library to deliver on their core objectives of protecting and conserving their collections, as well as allowing them to develop as venues for research, culture, learning and tourism.
58. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if her Department will examine a nationwide plan for the development of village design statements that would ensure all future planning and development takes full cognisance of the historic character and protects the character and heritage of villages. [4078/17]
View answerThe Heritage Council, in collaboration with my Department, has led the development of a best practice approach to the development of Community-Led Village Design Statements. In tandem with a number of local authorities and village communities, the Council has prepared a toolkit which was launched in October 2012 at the inaugural community-led workshop. In many ways, the approach followed is similar to the Historic Towns Initiative (HTI) framework, also developed by my Department in collaboration with the Heritage Council, Fáilte Ireland and relevant local authorities, although it is focused on smaller communities.
Current policy encourages a community-led approach rather than the development of a nationwide plan. I am however considering the possibility of a prioritised targeted approach to towns and villages with a view to not only protecting their character and heritage, but also contributing to regional development through encouraging economic growth and employment.
All approaches are still under consideration as I seek to further strengthen the protection of our built heritage and to provide for the regeneration of rural towns and villages as part of the Action Plan for Rural Development.
59. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when her Department will make available the conservation rangers reports, veterinary reports and hare capture reports pertaining to the current hare coursing season; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3785/17]
View answerIt is intended over the next few weeks to publish the various reports compiled by the National Parks and Wildlife Service staff of my Department and the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) on the NPWS website for the 2015/16 season. There are some 200 separate reports - including NPWS ranger reports, ICC Reports, ICC Veterinary Reports - ranging over 70 coursing meetings – and arrangements are underway to publish them as soon as possible.
The current 2016/17 coursing season finishes at the end of February. Similar arrangements will be made to publish the reports on the website following the receipt of the relevant reports from my officials and the ICC. Reports in relation to Rathdowney, Ballinagar and Loughrea Coursing meetings for the 2016/17 season have recently been sent to the Deputy and are already published on my Department’s website.
60. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her views on the fact that the investment criteria for the Irish Arts Center in New York have been dropped. [4175/17]
View answerI was very pleased to be able to provide €1 million in capital funding from my Department for the development of the new Irish Arts Center in New York. The Irish Arts Center is one of two key partners which promote Irish arts abroad and which my Department supports on an ongoing basis through the Culture Ireland programme. The other is the Centre Culturel in Paris. In both cases my Department provides annual funding to showcase the best of Irish arts and culture in these two culturally rich world cities.
This capital funding will supplement private and US State support, including City of New York funding of $36.85m, State of New York funding of $3.65m and private funding of $7.6m. My Department’s grant in December complements over €3m provided to date by the Government through the Emigrant Support Programme of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as well as the support provided by the Office of Public Works in preparing the designs for the new Center. The new Irish Arts Center, when completed, will be a flagship venue which will offer a major platform for the coming generation of Irish artists and performers.
The Government’s additional support was warmly welcomed by the Irish community in New York when I visited there two weeks ago to launch the Culture Ireland US programme for 2017 where my Department will provide €1m to Irish artists to showcase their work in the United States throughout the year.
This builds on the increased funding which my Department was able to provide in 2016 to enable an enhanced programme to be presented as part of 'I Am Ireland', Culture Ireland's Centenary programme.
It is not clear to me what the Deputy is referring to in relation to the dropping of investment criteria, however, my Department has attached standard conditions to the grant to ensure that the investment is protected.
The additional funding which I have now provided will assist in ensuring that this flagship artistic Irish cultural venue is delivered on schedule by allowing site preparations to progress as planned.
61. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the estimated amount of funding that will be delivered to each local authority under pillar two of the Creative Ireland programme; the details of the county co-ordinators; the framework which will be used to administer the programme; and if the funding will be ring-fenced for the arts. [4182/17]
View answerThe Government recently launched the Creative Ireland Programme – Clár Éire Ildánach 2017 – 2022.
This is a cross-Government initiative to mainstream culture and creativity in the life of the nation and to promote individual, community and national wellbeing. This will focus on boosting cultural provision and participation in communities and harnessing the goodwill and engagement generated by the 2016 commemorative programme.
The core proposition of this programme is that participation in cultural activity drives personal and collective creativity, with significant implications for individual and societal wellbeing and achievement. The programme is based on five pillars:
- Enabling the creative potential of every child
- Enabling creativity in every community
- Investing in our creative and cultural infrastructure
- Establishing Ireland as a centre of excellence in media production
- Unifying our global reputation.
The second pillar – Enabling creativity in every community – will be implemented primarily through our local authorities. This is because local authorities are the primary instruments of community engagement and, second, local authorities have a particular capacity for local programme delivery, especially in the context of citizen engagement.
I have asked each local authority to establish a Culture Team bringing together arts officers, librarians, heritage officers, museum curators, archivists and other relevant personnel which will be led by a Director of Services, with a nominated person as 'Creative Ireland Co-ordinator'. The primary role of the Culture Team will be to develop a Culture and Creativity Plan, reflecting the overall structure and aims of the national strategy programme, and then to drive public participation in creative cultural activity in each local authority area.
I have made a specific allocation of €1 million to the local authorities towards the implementation of the 2017 Creative Ireland Plans out of the overall funding of €5m which I secured in Budget 2017 to underpin this new initiative.
63. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding extending the spring gorse burning season; her views on the prospect of spring wildfires such as those that have threatened homes and native oak forests in Killarney National Park and many other areas in recent years; her plans for 2017 to reduce this risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3844/17]
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 is included in the Heritage Bill 2016, which was published in January 2016. The Bill is currently at Committee Stage in Seanad Éireann. In the meantime, the existing provisions relating to Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts remain in force.
Significant environmental damage is caused by wildfires. This issue has become more acute in recent years, as evidenced by the spate of fires in various parts of the country, including the 2015 fire in Co. Kerry.
The main source of such wildfires is thought to be the deliberate starting of fires without concern for the consequences. My Department is one of a number of agencies represented on the Inter-Agency Gorse Fire Group that explores issues surrounding such fires. An Garda Síochána is also represented on the Group. My Department co-operates fully with Garda investigations and any other investigations that may be initiated by other statutory bodies. As the Deputy will appreciate, Killarney National Park on its own comprises over 10,000 Hectares (26,000 acres) so it can be difficult to provide a visible “presence” on the ground to discourage and prevent unauthorised burning in the countryside. Trying to identify the culprits – those who deliberately set fires in open areas – can also be difficult.
Aside from such malicious activities, one of the main challenges is to encourage members of the public, (including landowners, farmers and recreational users of publicly accessible land), to act responsibly at all times, to be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, to be mindful of the need to protect property, both publicly owned and privately owned, and to appreciate the value of our natural heritage, particularly in our National Parks, Nature Reserves and Designated (Natura 2000) Sites.
64. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress on the built heritage investment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4180/17]
View answerThe Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS), which I launched in 2015, is one of a number of State financial supports that provide for the conservation and preservation of heritage structures. The scheme was developed to assist with the repair and conservation of structures that are protected under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). In certain cases, the scheme is also available for the conservation of structures within Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs) where, in the opinion of the local authority, a need for works to enhance the character and appearance of an ACA has arisen and has been demonstrated.
The 2016 Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS), with an allocation of €2 million, was operated via the local authorities, on the same model as the very successful Built Heritage Jobs Leverage Scheme, which ran in 2014. In 2016, the scheme supported over 270 projects across the country, creating over 17,000 days of employment in the conservation and construction industries, while helping to regenerate urban and rural areas. The scheme has also leveraged aggregate investment just under €5.5 million; more than double the scheme’s allocation of €2 million.
I announced recently that the scheme will operate again in 2017. It will provide a €2 million investment this year for the repair and conservation of protected structures and will again be operated by the Local Authorities. This scheme will support a significant number of projects across the country and help provide employment in the conservation and construction industries.
The focus and priority of the scheme is on heritage-led job creation. As a result, local authorities are required to report to the Department on the number of jobs created under this scheme. The scheme aims to leverage private capital for investment in a significant number of labour-intensive, small-scale conservation projects across the country. It also supports the employment of skilled and experienced conservation professionals, craftspeople and tradespersons in the repair of the historic built environment.
65. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her views on the way recreational tourism projects such as the development of blueways and greenways can benefit rural towns and villages in the context of the Action Plan for Rural Development, with specific reference to plans for a blueway in south County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4185/17]
View answerTourism is of key importance to the economic wellbeing of rural Ireland and the sector supports many thousands of jobs in rural areas. The Action Plan for Rural Development recognises the further growth potential that tourism presents for rural communities. It sets out 50 distinct actions designed to maximise our rural tourism and recreation potential.
These actions will support the objective of rejuvenating Ireland’s rural towns and villages by developing and promoting the expansion of activity tourism in rural areas, including through the development of Blueways and Greenways.
For example, my Department funded part of the Shannon - Erne Blueway development under the Rural Economic Development Zones (REDZ) pilot in 2015. Launched in June 2016, the Shannon-Erne Blueway is bringing tourism to the rural areas of Cavan, Leitrim, Longford and Roscommon, connecting 22 towns and villages located alongside the River Shannon and the Shannon-Erne Waterway, through the Blueway.
In addition to this, my Department provided funding to Waterways Ireland in 2016 via the Rural Recreation Scheme to develop a critical link in the walking and cycling element of the Blueway by linking the existing 14km of looped walks to the facilities and services at Acres lake and Drumshanbo town in Leitrim, through the development of an iconic boardwalk.
Such developments can and do support economic development in the towns, villages and hinterlands along the route by providing leisure activities not only for visitors, but also for people who live and work in the vicinity. The Action Plan for Rural Development aims to build on these initiatives and replicate their success in attracting visitors to rural towns and villages.
With regard to specific plans for a blueway in south County Kildare, as I understand it, the Deputy may be referring to the Barrow Way, which runs through County Kildare. I am advised that just last week, Waterways Ireland submitted a planning application for development of this way, including a Blueway element along the Grand Canal.
66. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the ongoing campaign in County Wicklow regarding securing the future of studios (details supplied) and the concerns of employees and the local community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4077/17]
View answerThe facility to which the Deputy refers is owned jointly by Enterprise Ireland in conjunction with other private entities. My colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, has responsibility for Enterprise Ireland. However, I am aware of the issue and my Department is keeping in contact with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in relation to the issue.
67. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she or any representative from her Department has met and-or communicated with representatives from companies (details supplied) or Dublin City Council in the past 12 months with regard to the Dublin Central Carlton-Moore Street site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4177/17]
View answerMy Department has had no interactions with the parties referred to by the Deputy or Dublin City Council with regard to matters relating to the Dublin Central/Carlton site. Any other interactions with some of the parties noted would have been necessitated by issues relating to the separate discharge of my functions as Minister with regard to the State owned National Monument in Moore Street and in the context of the Moore Street Consultative Group which is in an ongoing engagement with all relevant stakeholders.
68. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her views on the development of arts centres in rural towns and villages and the benefits this can bring to an area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4184/17]
View answerLast year I announced a new €9 million investment scheme for arts and cultural centres to run over the next three years, focused on securing and enhancing our arts and culture infrastructure. The scheme will target investment at a range of different facilities, including arts centres, theatres, galleries and museums, as well as artists’ studios and creative spaces.
I hope to make announcements on this scheme very shortly. Many of the projects to be grant-aided will be located in rural Ireland and will support cultural and community life in rural Ireland. This scheme will form part of the implementation of the Action Plan for Rural Development which is the first whole-of-government strategy aimed at people living and working in rural Ireland.
The Plan aims to unlock the potential of rural Ireland through a framework of supports at national and local level which will ensure that people who live in rural areas have increased opportunities for employment locally, and access to public services and social networks that support a high quality of life. It contains 276 actions which aim to improve both the economic and social fabric of rural Ireland spread across five pillars.
The fourth pillar of the Action Plan - Fostering Culture and Creativity in Rural Communities incorporates the arts. The key objectives of this Pillar are to:-
- Increase access to the arts and enhance cultural facilities in rural communities.
- Further develop and enhance culture and creativity in rural Ireland through the establishment of culture teams and creativity hubs as part of the Creative Ireland Programme.
- Promote the Irish language as a key resource in Gaeltacht and other rural communities.
I will also shortly be announcing details of a new small capital grant scheme for arts and cultural facilities for not-for-profit organisations with a defined arts and cultural remit. This will be of particular benefit to local cultural centres throughout rural Ireland.
69. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way the Action Plan for Rural Development, launched recently in County Longford, can benefit rural communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4003/17]
View answerRealising our Rural Potential, the Government's Action Plan for Rural Development, was launched in Ballymahon, Co. Longford on the 23rd January 2017. The objective of the Plan is to unlock the potential of rural Ireland through a framework of supports at national and local level which will ensure that people who live in rural Ireland have increased opportunities for employment locally, and access to public services and social networks that support a high quality of life.
The Action Plan will act as an overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of initiatives right across Government which will benefit rural Ireland. The Plan contains over 270 actions to be delivered by a range of Government Departments, State agencies and other bodies. It is structured around five thematic pillars, which aim to improve the social and economic fabric of rural Ireland. These pillars are:
Supporting Sustainable Communities
Supporting Enterprise and Employment
Maximising our Rural Tourism and Recreation Potential
Fostering Culture and Creativity in rural communities
Improving Rural Infrastructure and Connectivity.
The Plan will support sustainable communities by making rural Ireland a better place to live through initiatives such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and CLÁR. It will enhance local services, empower local communities to ensure that their voices are heard in decision-making, and build better communities through ongoing investment in schemes such as LEADER.
Key to the delivery of the Action Plan will be a robust process of monitoring progress on each of the 276 actions. I will chair a Monitoring Committee which will include representatives of all relevant Government Departments, public bodies and key rural stakeholder interests. The Monitoring Committee will meet on a regular basis and will report to the Cabinet Committee on Regional and Rural Affairs, which is chaired by An Taoiseach. Progress reports on the implementation of the Plan will be published every six months.
The Action Plan for Rural Development will also be a living document, with the capacity to add further actions over its lifetime.
