Written Answers Nos. 383-97
383. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent to which the various towns throughout the country and in County Kildare have been selected for benefit from the recently announced Action Plan for Rural Development; if a priority list has been set out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11482/17]
View answerThe Action Plan for Rural Development contains a number of measures which have the objective of rejuvenating Ireland’s rural towns and villages to make them more attractive places in which to live and work and to increase their tourism potential.
From my own Department’s perspective, I have secured funding of €12 million for an enhanced Town and Village Renewal scheme this year. This scheme will be launched shortly and towns and villages to be considered under the scheme, including in County Kildare, will be selected through an application and assessment process. The scheme will be funded by my Department and administered by Local Authorities. Full details of the scheme and the application process will be made available when the scheme is launched.
My Department will also provide funding to support towns and villages through the CLÁR programme which has a budget of €5 million this year, and through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the Structures at Risk Fund, which have a combined budget of €2.8 million for 2017.
The Heritage Council will be administering a Heritage and Community Grants programme of €0.7 million, along with a historic towns programme of €0.6 million to develop and expand the on-going work of the Department’s Historic Towns Initiative and the Irish Walled Towns Network.
Our towns and villages are the heart of our rural communities, and through these investments and other initiatives across Government we can help to make them more attractive places in which to live and to work.
384. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the Action Plan for Rural Development involves a commitment to provide grant assistance to persons who wish to renovate the second floor of a house into an apartment and refurbish residential and non-residential buildings in rural communities; if so, the details of the grant aid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11507/17]
View answerThe Action Plan for Rural Development, which was launched on 23rd January, contains a number of measures which have the objective of rejuvenating Ireland’s rural towns and villages to make them more attractive places in which to live and work, and to increase their tourism potential.
As part of Budget 2017, I have secured funding of €12 million for an enhanced Town and Village Renewal scheme this year. I intend to launch the first phase of this scheme in the coming weeks, with a focus on improving the economic development of our towns and villages. Full details of the initiative will be available when the scheme is launched.
I also intend to launch a second phase of the scheme later this year. This will be a pilot project to encourage residential occupancy in rural towns and villages. My intention is that the scheme will be targeted at owner-occupiers and will assist with the cost of bringing buildings back into use for residential purposes only. The pilot will be launched in the second half of the year, when details of the scheme have been finalised in consultation with relevant Departments. Full details of the criteria to apply will be announced when the pilot is launched.
385. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the level of construction inflation that has been experienced by her Department in each of the past six years and to date in 2017 in respect of construction projects and other capital projects; the way in which she monitors construction inflation and the mechanisms she employs to establish this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11530/17]
View answerMy Department's capital expenditure is largely concentrated on enterprise supports, refurbishment projects in National Cultural Institutions, National Parks and our Waterways network, grant schemes for arts and heritage, and supporting the economic and sustainable development of the regions.
Inflation measures are of more value in the management of multi-annual construction programmes but my Department seeks at all times to ensure value for money in the delivery of its individual capital supports. Where appropriate, my Department is sanctioning authority for certain projects as set out under the Public Spending Code and ensures value for money through a range of measures including ensuring compliance with public procurement procedures in partnership with the relevant contracting authorities and the Office of Public Procurement. Capital supports are provided in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Circular 13/2014 on the Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds, which provides guidance to Government Departments on ensuring that all Exchequer funds, regardless of the method of distribution, are accounted for and properly managed.
386. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the actions of the 2017 Action Plan for Jobs to support entrepreneurship and job creation in the Gaeltacht. [11591/17]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy was published by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on its website and is available at the following link: https://www.djei.ie/en/Publications/Publication-files/Action-Plan-for-Jobs-2017-Table-of-Actions.pdf.
However, for ease of reference, the following table details the main actions in the 2017 Action Plan for Jobs which relate specifically to Údarás na Gaeltachta in respect of its role in supporting entrepreneurship and job creation in the Gaeltacht.
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Number |
|||
|
99 |
- |
- |
Support the creation of 500 new jobs in 2017 and continue to help maintain existing jobs in Údarás na Gaeltachta client companies in the Gaeltacht, including through supports for post-research and pre-commercialisation units in the life sciences, food and business support services and creative enterprises sectors, as well as for community development initiatives. |
|
Steps Necessary for Delivery |
Timeline |
Responsible body |
|
|
Commence the development of a Marine Innovation Park which will facilitate both research and commercial activities in Cill Chiaráin, Co Galway by: - Preparing and completing Full Master Plan - Undertaking and completing an Environment Impact Study - Preparing and submitting a planning application |
Q1 Q2 – Q4 Q2 – Q4 |
DAHRRGA, ÚnaG |
|
|
Develop four innovation hubs (Donegal, Mayo, Galway and Kerry) by refurbishing existing buildings and investing in ancillary infrastructure which supports and develops entrepreneurship and start-up companies in the Gaeltacht Regions. |
Q2 – Q4 |
DAHRRGA, ÚnaG |
|
|
Invest in training and skills development interventions in support of building and improving the skills-base amongst local enterprises and those seeking employment. |
Ongoing |
DAHRRGA, ÚnaG |
|
|
Develop advanced property solutions for new and existing innovative companies. |
Ongoing |
DAHRRGA, ÚnaG |
|
|
147 |
Deliver balanced and sustainable tourism revenue, jobs growth and economic benefit to communities in the West of Ireland through the Wild Atlantic Way project. |
||
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Steps Necessary for Delivery |
Timeline |
Responsible body |
|
|
Develop interpretation projects in association with local communities, the Heritage Council, Local Authorities, Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Office of Public Works and the National Wildlife and Parks Service, which highlight the distinctive Irish Culture in destinations and communities to encourage further dispersal of visitors along the Wild Atlantic Way, and encourage additional start-up tourism enterprises. |
Q4 |
Fáilte Ireland and others |
387. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has agreed to carry over funding for the 1916 commemoration to the general arts, culture and film programme to 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11677/17]
View answer409. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the approach she is taking to ensure that the €50 million spent in 2017 on commemoration will be retained in the arts budget for 2017 for the benefit of the arts and culture nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11702/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 409 together.
In 2016, once off funding of approximately €49 million was allocated to the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme under my Department’s Arts Division; approximately €18 million in current funding and €31 million in capital.
This capital funded once off projects including the new visitor centre at the GPO, Richmond Barracks, the Kevin Barry Rooms at the National Concert Hall and the Athenaeum in Wexford.
As part of the 2017 Budget, I retained the majority of the €18 million current funding for 2017 which is now part of the baseline for the Arts division of the Department, meaning it will be available for future years.
This included:
- An additional €5m for the Arts Council, an 8% increase in its annual budget;
- Boosts in funding for all of the National Cultural Institutions;
- €2m to allow for the opening of the newly restored historic wings at the National Gallery of Ireland and the opening of Killarney House on the foot of significant capital investment by the State;
- An increase of €2m for the Irish Film Board and €1m for Culture Ireland;
- Funding of €5m for the implementation of the Creative Ireland Programme 2017-2022.
I am confident that this substantial increase in funding for the arts, culture and film sectors will allow us to build on the positive legacy of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme. It also re-affirms the commitment of the Government to progressively increase funding for the arts as the economy improves and also reflects the importance attached to promoting and supporting our artistic and cultural strengths, and supporting jobs in our creative industries.
388. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the Government will commit to the long-term goal of increasing arts funding to the European average of 0.6% of GDP. [11678/17]
View answerI understand that the source of the reference quoted by the Deputy is a Council of Europe research project and that many European countries, including ten EU member states, are not included in the data.
I understand also that the data is not standardised and is not comparable across countries. For example, local authority expenditure on the arts, the artists' exemption tax relief, expenditure on public service broadcasting and the Irish language are not included in the figures for Ireland but comparable figures are included in the data for some other countries.
I have previously stated that further research on this issue is warranted. The issue of a definition of culture and of capturing public expenditure on culture is an element of the draft Culture 2025 framework policy, which was sent to the Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for input in July 2016.
However, this Government is committed to increasing provision for arts and culture in Ireland. The Taoiseach and I launched the Creative Ireland Programme – Clár Éire Ildánach 2017 – 2022 on the 8 December 2016. 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 Creative Ireland Programme is the main implementation vehicle for the priorities identified in Culture 2025/Éire Ildánach, the draft cultural policy which I published last year and which sees a vibrant cultural ecosystem as essential to society.
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 Creative Ireland Programme is supported by significant additional resources which are being directed towards the arts and culture sector. In Budget 2017 I secured significant additional funding for the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board. The increase in the Arts Council's allocation in 2017 is €5 million, or 8%, and will assist the Council greatly in implementing its 10-year strategy Making Great Art Work (2016-2025). I also secured an increase of €2 million for the Irish Film Board, representing a 14% increase in its annual budget.
Budget 2017 also includes:
- increased funding for all of the National Cultural Institutions;
- an increase of €1 million for Culture Ireland;
- an additional €1 million to the Heritage Council; and
- funding of €5m for the implementation of the Creative Ireland Programme.
I also recently announced details of more than €9 million in capital funding for existing dedicated arts and culture centres across the country. The Creative Ireland Arts and Culture Capital Scheme is the most significant investment in arts and cultural centres in a decade and will target investment at a range of different facilities, including arts centres, theatres, galleries and museums, as well as artists’ studios and creative spaces. This kind of investment is at the centre of what I am trying to achieve through Creative Ireland Programme and the Action Plan for Rural Development
All of this represents real and substantial funding increases across the arts and cultural area and has been welcomed across the sector. It 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.
389. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to increase funding in the arts over the lifetime of the Government; and her views on whether funding for the Arts Council and Irish Film Board should be doubled. [11679/17]
View answer408. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her views on the recent comments by the outgoing artistic director of the Gate Theatre (details supplied) that the Arts Council should be getting three or four times the amount it receives from the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11701/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 389 and 408 together.
The 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.
In Budget 2017 I secured significant additional funding for the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board. The increase in the Arts Council's allocation in 2017 is €5 million, or 8%, and will assist the Council greatly in implementing its 10-year strategy Making Great Art Work (2016-2025). I also secured an increase of €2 million for the Irish Film Board, representing a 14% increase in its annual budget.
Budget 2017 also includes:-.
- increased funding for all of the National Cultural Institutions;
- an increase of €1 million for Culture Ireland;
- an additional €1 million to the Heritage Council; and
- funding of €5m for the implementation of a Legacy Programme now known as the Creative Ireland Programme and the main implementation vehicle for the priorities identified in the draft framework policy Culture 2025/Éíre Ildánach which I published in July last year.
I also recently announced details of more than €9 million in capital funding for existing dedicated arts and culture centres across the country. The Arts and Culture Capital Scheme is the most significant investment in arts and cultural centres in a decade and will target investment at a range of different facilities, including arts centres, theatres, galleries and museums, as well as artists’ studios and creative spaces. This kind of investment is at the centre of what I am trying to achieve through Creative Ireland Programme and the Action Plan for Rural Development.
All of this represents real and substantial funding increases across the arts and cultural area and has been welcomed across the sector. It 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.
390. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will create an arts capital fund, modelled after the sports capital fund, to ensure better long term funding for Irish arts. [11680/17]
View answerI recently announced details of grants of over €9 million in capital funding for arts and culture centres across the country. This capital scheme is the most significant investment in arts and cultural centres in a decade and will target investment at a range of different facilities, including arts centres, theatres, galleries and museums, as well as artists’ studios and creative spaces. This kind of investment is at the centre of what I am trying to achieve through Creative Ireland and the Action Plan for Rural Development.
The Arts and Culture Capital Scheme was considerably over-subscribed. The Department received 106 applications in total under Stream 1 and 2 seeking total funding of over €20m with eligible requests for funding totalling over €14.6m. Following the assessment process, 56 projects are being funded. Seven flagship projects will receive substantial funding allocations while a further 49 projects will receive funding ranging from €20,000 to €276,000.
I will be opening a further Stream of funding under this Scheme in the coming weeks. It will provide smaller capital grants of up to €20,000 to not-for-profit organisations with a defined arts and cultural remit. While the amounts involved are relatively modest, the grants will in themselves make a huge difference to individual organisations and will be of particular benefit to local cultural centres throughout rural Ireland.
The arts and culture capital grant scheme is operated in a similar way to the sports capital grant scheme.
391. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will liaise with the Minister for Social Protection to examine the supports for working artists in the social welfare system; and if the Government will relax activation rules for working artists to allow them to support themselves. [11681/17]
View answerIn December, I announced that my Department in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection would devise a mechanism during 2017 to assist self-employed artists who have applied for Jobseeker’s Allowance. I have been in contact with my colleague the Minister for Social Protection on the matter and officials of our two Departments have already begun working on this initiative in consultation with the Arts Council. The scheme will be a pilot scheme and is part of the Creative Ireland Programme launched in December. Details of the pilot scheme will be announced as soon as possible.
392. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to pursue more applications for UNESCO world heritage status for more of Ireland's national landmarks (details supplied). [11682/17]
View answerI refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 394 on 31 January 2017.
393. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way she will work with her colleague the Minister for Education and Skills to ensure that parents can access second level education through Irish, especially in areas with proven demand for Gaelscoileanna. [11683/17]
View answerI refer the Deputy to previous replies given to Parliamentary Questions in relation to this matter. As I mentioned in these replies, the question of access to second-level education through Irish is primarily a matter for the Minister for Education and Skills. However, in the context of its responsibility for coordinating the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, my Department works in close cooperation with a number of key stakeholders, including the Department of Education and Skills.
Given the critical role of education in achieving the objectives detailed in the 20-Year Strategy, I can assure the Deputy that this close co-operation will continue to be a priority and I look forward to further engagement with my colleague, Richard Bruton T.D., Minister for Education and Skills, in relation to these matters.
I should also point out that the Cabinet Committee on Arts, Irish, the Gaeltacht and the Islands is working to ensure coherence and focus in the range of activities, both ongoing and in planning, to support and promote the Irish language within the wider context of national identity, culture and creativity. I am pleased to be a member of that Committee and I look forward to working with my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, within that framework.
394. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will provide extra funding to Gaeltacht areas to encourage greater use of the language and better economic prospects for those living in Gaeltacht areas. [11684/17]
View answerI refer the Deputy to the previous replies given to Parliamentary Questions in relation to this matter. As I mentioned in those replies, the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 is recognised as a key priority in the Programme for a Partnership Government insofar as it supports the maintenance and development of the Irish language as a community and household language in the Gaeltacht.
Other measures outlined in the Programme include:
- A focus on job creation in the Gaeltacht through investment in jobs by Údarás na Gaeltachta;
- Encouraging the attendance by children of Irish-medium pre-schools or naíonraí in Gaeltacht areas; and,
- Increasing investment in the Irish language.
The Deputy will be aware that my Department, together with Údarás na Gaeltachta, administers a wide range of schemes, programmes and initiatives targeting language and economic development in Gaeltacht areas. Further details are available on the Údarás na Gaeltachta website www.udaras.ie.
In order to further underpin the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy and the language planning process, as set out in Acht na Gaeltachta 2012, a specific allocation of €1.25 million has also been provided in my Department’s vote this year, an increase of €250,000 on the 2016 allocation. This increased allocation will further enable my Department, acting in co-operation with Údarás na Gaeltachta and relevant stakeholders at community level, to implement a range of specific and practical measures aimed at supporting both the implementation of the Strategy and of the language planning process in Gaeltacht areas.
A further increase of €1 million in current funding provided in my Department’s Vote this year for the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and Islands programme area will enable my Department to allocate extra resources to Gaeltacht support schemes such as the Irish Language Summer Colleges and community schemes funded by Údarás na Gaeltachta.
In relation to economic development, as Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, I very much appreciate the importance of job creation in helping to retain sustainable communities in Gaeltacht areas. In this context, I wish to acknowledge the very important enterprise and employment function of Údarás na Gaeltachta as the regional economic development agency for the Gaeltacht. In its regional enterprise role in the Gaeltacht, Údarás na Gaeltachta, in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland and the IDA, will continue to work towards attracting investment to the Gaeltacht, in addition to supporting micro-enterprises and developing the skills base in the Gaeltacht. In order to enable Údarás na Gaeltachta to fulfil its job creation remit, a baseline capital funding allocation of €6.687m has been provided by the Exchequer to the organisation in 2017.
395. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way she plans to ensure arts funding is used to ensure minority and new Irish voices are heard as part of cultural output. [11685/17]
View answer402. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will work with the Minister for Health to develop and roll out an arts and health strategy across acute and children’s hospitals and across the community health sector; and the other innovative approaches being considered to use the arts as a means to promote wellbeing across society. [11694/17]
View answer403. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the action she is taking with her Government colleagues to systematically address social, geographic and economic barriers to full participation in the artistic and cultural life of the country, particularly for children and young persons. [11695/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 395, 402 and 403 together.
Under the Arts Act 2003, primary responsibility for the promotion and support of the arts, including inclusivity in the arts, throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. In Budget 2017, I secured significant additional funding for the Arts Council. This will see an increase in the Arts Council allocation in 2017 of €5m, or 8%, and will assist the Council in implementing its 10-year strategy Making Great Art Work (2016-2025). This strategy places specific emphasis on the need to plan and provide for children and young people. The 5 high-level values of the strategy include a commitment to excellence, as well as respect for diversity of artistic practice, of public engagement, and of social and cultural traditions. The strategy also commits to working to achieve full implementation of the Arts in Education Charter. The Strategy is available on the website of the Arts Council.
The Creative Ireland Programme is the Government’s Legacy Programme for Ireland 2016 and the main implementation vehicle for the priorities identified in Culture 2025/Éíre Ildánach the draft framework policy which I published in July of last year. It is a five-year all-of-government initiative, from 2017 to 2022, which places creativity at the centre of public policy.
The Programme is built around five pillars one of which is Enabling Creativity in Every Community. The Centenary Programme demonstrated two critically important aspects of local governance: first, 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. Further details of the Creative Ireland Programme can be accessed at the following link: http://creative.ireland.ie/.
In addition to the Creative Ireland Programme, I recently launched the Action Plan for Rural Development which is the first whole-of-government strategy aimed at people living and working in rural Ireland. It 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. The Plan 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 is Fostering Culture and Creativity in Rural Communities.
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.
These objectives will be delivered as part of the work programme across my Department, and in particular as part of the Creative Ireland Programme which was launched by the Taoiseach and I on 8th December last. All of these initiatives by my Department and its agencies will seek to address the issues set out in the questions.
396. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to support the development of the creative industries sector; if she has reviewed the report from the previous Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on the hearings in relation to Examining the Potential for Job Creation, Innovation and Balanced Economic Development in the Creative Economy; and if she will implement the recommendations of the report in tandem with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. [11686/17]
View answerI am keenly aware of the potential of the creative sector to contribute to sustainable jobs growth, as set out in the report to which the Deputy refers. My Department continues to work with other Departments, in particular with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, across a range of areas as set out in the Action Plan for Jobs and in the context of my wider remit to promote and support Ireland’s cultural and creative sectors.
I have already announced the commissioning of an economic analysis of our screen-based creative industries by my Department in partnership with the Departments of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. This study has commenced and will examine the economic impact and potential of the Irish film, TV and animation sector and analyse the scale and economic contribution of the screen-based creative industries and examine its potential to expand further. The study, when complete, will help to inform Government strategies and initiatives as we seek to enhance Ireland’s reputation as a home of creative talent.
My Department will continue to promote the creative industries and economic development across its remit including, for example, through the recently published Creative Ireland Programme and Action Plan for Rural Development.
The Creative Ireland Programme is the Government’s Legacy Programme for Ireland 2016 and the main implementation vehicle for the priorities identified in Culture 2025/Éíre Ildánach the draft framework policy which I published in July of last year. It is a five-year initiative, from 2017 to 2022, which places creativity at the centre of public policy.
The Action Plan for Rural Development is the first whole-of-government strategy aimed at people living and working in rural Ireland. It 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. The Plan is spread across five pillars and the fourth pillar is Fostering Culture and Creativity in Rural Communities.
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.
397. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has liaised with the Minister for Education and Skills on the development of contemporary art education at primary and secondary level in schools. [11688/17]
View answerThe Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the continued implementation of the Arts in Education Charter and my Department is working closely with the Department of Education and Skills and the Arts Council to deliver the objectives of the Charter.
The work of the two Departments and the Arts Council in implementing the Charter is achieved largely through existing structures such as education centres. Good progress has been made to date in terms of launching Ireland’s first Arts in Education Portal, holding National Arts and Education Days, and developing Teacher Artist Partnerships through the Education and Training Centres.
In terms of direct support for the arts, this is primarily a matter for the Arts Council and its ten-year strategy - Making Great Art Work 2016-2025 – which places specific emphasis on the need to plan and provide for children and young people. The strategy also commits to working to achieve full implementation of the Arts in Education Charter. Arising from the significant increase of support of €5m which I secured for the Arts Council as part of Budget 2017, I am pleased to say that Arts Council funding in this area for 2017 has in turn increased from €3.1m in 2016 to €3.7m this year. This is a very clear indication that the Arts Council is prioritising arts participation by young people and children.
In addition to the Charter, the Creative IrelandProgramme, which the Taoiseach and I launched in December, places a special focus on “Enabling the Creative Potential of Every Child”. Building on the Arts in Education Charter this will involve the development of an integrated plan to enable every child in Ireland to access tuition in music, drama, art and coding by 2022. My Department will be working with relevant Departments and other stakeholders over the coming months to develop this plan.
