Written Answers Nos. 53-67
53. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to use the medium of the arts to project a positive national image, promote tourism and generate renewed economic activity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11752/17]
View answerThe 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 well-being. 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 well-being 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
Specifically the 5th Pillar - Unifying our Global Reputation - is about presenting a coherent representation of Ireland to the world as a creative people. This will seek to capture the overarching narrative of Ireland’s unique creativity and cultural heritage, and builds on the work of Culture Ireland, a division of my Department, which has an existing remit to promote Irish arts worldwide. The Government’s intentions in this regard were welcomed when I launched the Creative Ireland Programme on the international stage in New York in January and in London last week.
In addition, the Action Plan for Rural Development, which I launched with the Taoiseach last month, 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 Action Plan is an overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of initiatives right across Government which will benefit rural Ireland. It takes a cohesive and coordinated approach across the whole of Government to the implementation of both economic and social policies that impact on rural communities.
The Plan contains 276 actions which aim to improve both the economic and social fabric of rural Ireland spread across five pillars.
Arts and Heritage are covered under the fourth pillar of the plan - 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 policy initiatives are 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 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 reaffirms 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 initiatives and additional funding will all support the achievement of the objectives set out in the questions.
54. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when the renovation of the National Gallery of Ireland will be complete and the gallery fully open to the public; the cost of the works carried out to date; the cost of the remaining renovation works; the original projected cost of the renovation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11611/17]
View answerThe major restoration programme at the National Gallery of Ireland commenced with the project to replace the Dargan Wing Roof. This element of the works commenced in March 2011 and was completed in August 2012. The Tender Price for these construction works was €2.093m and Final Account on completion was agreed with the Main Contractor at €2.135m.
In January 2014, works relating to the refurbishment of the Historic Wings, including the replacement of the Milltown Wing Roof commenced based on a Tender Price of €25.806m. These works were completed in December 2016 but the final cost of works will not be established until the Final Account has been completed with the Main Contractor.
The project included the repair and restoration of the fabric of the Dargan and Milltown Wings, infill of the voids between the wings and the installation of 21st century climate, heating, fire suppression and lighting systems amongst other things.
The Office of Public Works, the National Gallery of Ireland and my Department are cooperating on the oversight of this project. It is expected that the Dargan and Milltown wings will be open to the public in June 2017.
This is a sizable historic restoration and upgrade project and represents an important capital investment by the State in one of its important cultural institutions. It will provide the National Gallery with first class environmental standards that allow it to host world class exhibitions in an appropriate setting.
55. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aindrias Moynihan den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sé i gceist aici airgead faoi leith a chur ar fáil faoi scéim na mbóithre aise chun cúnamh a thabhairt do dhaoine nach bhfuil a mbóithre faoi chúram na gcomhairlí contae; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [11367/17]
View answerTá forfheidhmiú na Straitéise 20-Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030 a foilsíodh i mí na Nollag 2010 áirithe go sonrach mar sprioc i gClár an Rialtais Rannpháirtíochta. Anuas air sin, tugann Acht na Gaeltachta 2012 feidhm reachtúil don phróiseas pleanála teanga sa Ghaeltacht faoina mbeidh pleananna teanga á n-ullmhú ag leibhéal an phobail. Tabharfar tréimhse ama don phobal chun pleananna teanga a ullmhú agus a fheidhmiú, le tacaíochtaí chuí ón Stát.
Tá an scéim atá luaite ag an Teachta ar fionraí anois. I bhfianaise na n-éileamh airgeadais a eascróidh as chur i bhfeidhm na Straitéise 20-Bliain agus an phróiseas phleanála teanga, agus an tábhacht a bhaineann leis an obair sin, ní bheidh ar chumas mo Roinne an scéim sin a athnuachan i mbliana.
56. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made on the roll-out of the regional and rural portion of her Department's remit in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11360/17]
View answerMy Department has made significant progress across a range of issues within the rural and regional policy areas of my Department so far this year.
For example, Realising our Rural Potential, the Government's Action Plan for Rural Development, was launched on Monday 23rd January in Ballymahon, Co. Longford. The Plan contains over 270 actions to be implemented by a range of Government Departments, agencies and other bodies to progress the economic and social development of rural Ireland. It is the first time a framework such as this has been developed to provide a co-ordinated approach across Government to the economic and social development of rural areas.
In relation to the implementation of the LEADER Programme, over 3,000 Expressions of Interest requesting funding of over €140 million have been received since the new programme was launched in July 2016. The Local Action Groups are now concluding calls for proposals and working with potential applicants to develop and finalise project applications in each area. A significant increase in project approvals and payments is expected as the year progresses, and a total of €40 million has been provided for the LEADER Programme in my Department’s Estimate this year.
Minister of State Michael Ring has secured an allocation of €5 million for the CLÁR programme for 2017 and details of the particular measures to be funded will be announced shortly.
I have secured funding of €12 million for an enhanced Town and Village Renewal scheme this year and I will be launching the first phase of this scheme shortly. As part of the scheme, I intend to launch a pilot project to encourage residential occupancy in rural towns and villages and this phase will be launched in the second half of the year.
My Department is working with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and the Local Authorities on an on-going basis to facilitate the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan. An Implementation Group has also been established to oversee the implementation of the actions contained in the Report of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce, which was published last December. The Implementation Group will meet for the first time this week and will be co-chaired by myself and Minister Naughten.
Yesterday, An Taoiseach and Minister of State Ring convened the inaugural meeting of a new Atlantic Economic Corridor Taskforce in Castlebar. The Taskforce will provide a platform for collaboration between stakeholders from the private sector, the public sector and the wider community, to identify how best an economic corridor can be created along the Atlantic seaboard region. The Atlantic Economic Corridor concept aims to contribute to effective regional development by creating sufficient scale along the western part of Ireland to match other regions – and particularly the East coast - in attracting Irish and multinational investment, growing jobs and supporting vibrant local communities.
57. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the details of the €9 million in capital funding for arts and culture centres throughout the country announced by her on 13 February 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11612/17]
View answerOn 13 February, I was very pleased to announce the details of more than €9 million in capital funding for arts and culture centres across the country as part of the Creative Ireland programme.
A total of 56 cultural organisations will benefit from this capital investment, including theatres, heritage centres, galleries, archives, integrated arts centres, artist studios and creative and performance spaces. Of the €9 million over 85% is going to projects outside Dublin.
There are seven flagship projects which will receive substantial funding as follows:
- Solstice Meath Arts Centre – €300,000
- The Irish Arial Creation Centre (home of Fidget Feet) – €350,000
- The Hunt Museum, Limerick – €400,000
- The Hawk’s Well Theatre in Sligo – €550,000
- Cavan Town Hall Theatre – €750,000
- The Riverbank Arts Centre, Kildare – €1,000,000
- Wexford Arts Centre – €1,000,000
A further 49 projects will receive funding ranging from €20,000 to €276,000 as set out in the Table to this question and as published on the website of my Department at www.ahrrga.gov.ie.
TABLE
|
Organisation |
County |
Grant award |
|
|
Glór |
Clare |
€37,029 |
|
|
Firkin Crane Ltd,. |
Cork |
€150,000 |
|
|
The Everyman Palace Ltd |
Cork |
€155,463 |
|
|
Wandesford Quay Ltd (WQL) |
Cork |
€90,842 |
|
|
Cork County Council /Briery Gap |
Cork |
€250,000 |
|
|
Cork Opera House DAC |
Cork |
€176,288 |
|
|
Abbey Arts and Cultural Centre |
Donegal |
€164,785 |
|
|
An Grianán Theatre |
Donegal |
€46,420 |
|
|
Donegal County Museum |
Donegal |
€27,962 |
|
|
Lifford Association Tourism Commerce & Heritage Limited (LATCH) |
Donegal |
€215,753 |
|
|
A4 Arts Studio & Community Education Centre Limited |
Dublin |
€22,800 |
|
|
Civic Theatre Company Limited |
Dublin |
€132,280 |
|
|
Draíocht |
Dublin |
€47,730 |
|
|
Fire Station Artists’ Studios |
Dublin |
€30,643 |
|
|
First Fortnight Ltd |
Dublin |
€20,560 |
|
|
Fund it |
Dublin |
€21,250 |
|
|
Gallery of Photography Ireland |
Dublin |
€24,963 |
|
|
Irish Film Institute |
Dublin |
€149,801 |
|
|
Irish Georgian Society |
Dublin |
€90,000 |
|
|
National Irish Visual Arts Library (NIVAL) |
Dublin |
€120,000 |
|
|
National Maritime Museum of Ireland |
Dublin |
€49,705 |
|
|
Pavilion Theatre Management Co. Ltd |
Dublin |
€149,855 |
|
|
Project Arts Centre |
Dublin |
€260,485 |
|
|
The Ark t/a The Children’s Cultural Centre ltd |
Dublin |
€130,429 |
|
|
The MART Gallery Ltd, |
Dublin |
€34,825 |
|
|
Galway City Museum |
Galway |
€180,280 |
|
|
Glenamaddy Arts & Historical Co-Op Society Ltd |
Galway |
€50,000 |
|
|
Town Hall Theatre |
Galway |
€118,129 |
|
|
Yeats Thoor Ballylee Development Ltd |
Galway |
€22,000 |
|
|
Cultural Centre Killarney /Kerry County Council |
Kerry |
€120,320 |
|
|
The Watergate Theatre |
Kilkenny |
€81,858 |
|
|
North Leitrim Glens Development Company Ltd |
Leitrim |
€50,000 |
|
|
The Dock / Leitrim County Council |
Leitrim |
€128,337 |
|
|
Dance Limerick Hub CLG |
Limerick |
€75,015 |
|
|
Lime Tree Theatre Limerick Limited |
Limerick |
€45,232 |
|
|
Limerick City Gallery of Art |
Limerick |
€125,850 |
|
|
Custom House Studios |
Mayo |
€43,274 |
|
|
Jackie Clarke Collection |
Mayo |
€24,300 |
|
|
Linenhall Arts Centre Co Ltd |
Mayo |
€42,000 |
|
|
Inniskeen Development Group Ltd |
Monaghan |
€188,636 |
|
|
Old Post Office Clones /Monaghan County Council |
Monaghan |
€144,077 |
|
|
Birr Stage Guild Ltd., |
Offaly |
€32,844 |
|
|
Roscommon Arts Centre |
Roscommon |
€276,615 |
|
|
Blackcastle Theatre Company |
Tipperary |
€23,000 |
|
|
The Source Arts Centre |
Tipperary |
€68,000 |
|
|
Barker Arts Centre t/a |
Waterford |
€54,000 |
|
|
Dean Crowe Trust |
Westmeath |
€113,772 |
|
|
Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre |
Wicklow |
€36,036 |
|
|
Tinahely Courthouse CLG t/a The Courthouse Arts Centre |
Wicklow |
€28,000 |
|
58. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her views on the way arts and culture can play a role in revitalising rural areas in places such as counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11548/17]
View answerThe 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 well-being. 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 well-being 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
Specifically the 5th Pillar - Unifying our Global Reputation - is about presenting a coherent representation of Ireland to the world as a creative people. This will seek to capture the overarching narrative of Ireland’s unique creativity and cultural heritage, and builds on the work of Culture Ireland, a division of my Department, which has an existing remit to promote Irish arts worldwide. The Government’s intentions in this regard were welcomed when I launched the Creative Ireland Programme on the international stage in New York in January and in London last week.
In addition, the Action Plan for Rural Development, which I launched with the Taoiseach last month, 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 Action Plan is an overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of initiatives right across Government which will benefit rural Ireland. It takes a cohesive and coordinated approach across the whole of Government to the implementation of both economic and social policies that impact on rural communities.
The Plan contains 276 actions which aim to improve both the economic and social fabric of rural Ireland spread across five pillars.
Arts and Heritage are covered under the fourth pillar of the plan - 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 policy initiatives are 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 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. In this regard, I announced funding of over €728,000 for 3 projects in Sligo and Leitrim.
All of this represents real and substantial funding increases across the arts and cultural area and has been welcomed across the sector. It reaffirms 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 initiatives and additional funding will all support the achievement of the objectives set out in the questions.
59. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when she expects to launch the town and village renewal scheme 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11356/17]
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.
To ensure the maximum impact of the scheme, I am exploring how best we can align this scheme with other initiatives across Government which can also support the rejuvenation of rural towns and villages.
The Town and Village Renewal scheme will be funded by my Department and administered by the Local Authorities. Full details of the initiative will be made 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. 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.
60. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans for the creation of a Border development zone, similar to the Atlantic economic corridor, to ensure proper regional development. [11762/17]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Border region covers the counties of Donegal, Sligo Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth, and stretches from the North West of the country to the North East. The region is unique in that it provides an interface between the economies of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Each of the counties in the region has its own characteristics and its own economic ties with areas both North and South of the Border. The region faces a number of challenges because of the peripherality of some of its areas and its potential exposure to the impact of Brexit.
The Action Plan for Jobs for the North West and North East regions, which is overseen by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, T.D., is seeking to develop the potential of the region through enhanced cooperation between public and private stakeholders to support enterprise growth and job creation.
In addition, the Action Plan for Rural Development, which I launched recently, includes a number of measures to support the region, including through the development of cross-Border tourism initiatives.
The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Simon Coveney, T.D., also recently launched a consultation process on the development of a new National Planning Framework which will provide a basis to support more effective regional development in the future.
In light of the initiatives outlined above, I do not have any additional plans at this point in time to develop a Border development zone. However, the outcome of the National Planning Framework process should help to inform the potential for the development of the Border region in the long-term.
61. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the details of the methodology behind the figure that more than 99% of hares used for coursing meetings are released unharmed back into the wild as she has previously stated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11744/17]
View answerFigures available to my Department for the 2015/16 hare coursing season indicate that of the 5,348 hares captured for use at coursing meetings, some 5,312 or 99% were released back into the wild. I will arrange for the Deputy to be furnished directly with the calculation methodology.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
62. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the details of the system used in determining approvals during the assessment process of the creative arts and culture capital scheme 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11717/17]
View answerThe Arts and Culture Capital Scheme was specifically targeted at supporting our regional arts centres with applications invited from arts and cultural centres across the country.
In total, 106 applications were received by the Department. The detailed selection criteria and eligibility requirements were published in the Guidelines of the Scheme. There was a two stage assessment process. The first stage involved all applications being reviewed on receipt to ensure eligibility. All eligible applications were then forwarded to an Assessment Panel which undertook the second stage of the assessment of the applications which advanced from stage one. The Assessment Panel reviewed each eligible application within the defined criteria and scored them accordingly. The recommendations were then forwarded to me for decision as set out in the published scheme conditions. Following these assessment processes 56 projects are being funded.
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.
63. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to obtain the maximum benefit from the European year of cultural heritage in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11753/17]
View answerAt the most recent Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council held in Brussels in November, 2016 a general approach on the proposal to designate 2018 the European Year of Cultural Heritage was reached. To ensure successful implementation of this initiative, each Member State has been requested by the European Commission to nominate a National Coordinator. The National Co-ordinator will work with the competent authorities here in Ireland together with the European Union institutions to multiply its impact through additional activities and community involvement.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that I have already written to the Chief Executive of the Heritage Council - the national agency which has responsibility for protecting our national heritage inviting the Council to act as Ireland's national co-ordinating body.
Given the experience of the Heritage Council in working with partners the length and breadth of Ireland, I am confident that Ireland will be well placed to benefit from the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 to influence broader civil society to protect, safeguard, re-use, enhance and promote our national and our shared European cultural heritage. The Year will also form part of the Creative Ireland Programme, which the Taoiseach and I launched on the 8th of December 2016, and which is underpinned by values which recognise the importance of our culture heritage and the role our culture plays in fostering a more sustainable future for Ireland and in presenting Ireland to the world.
64. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when the 2017 CLÁR programme will open for applications; the types of projects that will be supported under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11363/17]
View answerCLÁR is a targeted investment programme which provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in rural areas which have suffered the greatest levels of population decline.
I have secured an allocation of €5 million for CLÁR for 2017 and my objective is to maximise the impact of the funding which is available, for the benefit of communities in CLÁR areas. I will shortly be announcing details of the measures to be funded under the programme this year.
In 2016, the CLÁR programme provided funding to over 650 projects for the development of local infrastructure such as safety lights at rural schools, better road markings and pedestrian crossings close to community facilities, the provision of play areas and multi-use games facilities, and support for access roads to public amenities.
While often modest in nature, these interventions play a very significant role in improving the lives of the people who live in CLÁR areas.
65. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the total fines imposed on Ireland to date for breach of the habitats directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11362/17]
View answerNo such fines have been imposed.
66. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to instigate an artist's trail in County Wexford as a pilot scheme, similar to the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East but which instead promotes artistic heritage (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11750/17]
View answerThe initiatives outlined in the question are the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. The issue of a county Wexford artistic trail could be a matter which the county council may wish to consider in terms of the local response to the Creative Ireland programme.
67. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to make departmental funding available for multicultural integration events to communities such as Kildare town which have a large multicultural society; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11366/17]
View answerThe Taoiseach and I launched the Creative Ireland Programme/Clár Éire Ildánach 2017 – 2022 on the 8 December 2016 as the Government Legacy Programme for Ireland 2016 and as the main implementation vehicle for the priorities identified in Culture 2025/ Éire Ildánach, the draft cultural policy which I published in July 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 well-being. 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 well-being and achievement. The programme is based on five pillars:
1. Enabling the creative potential of every child
2. Enabling creativity in every community
3. Investing in our creative and cultural infrastructure
4. Establishing Ireland as a centre of excellence in media production
5. 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 engaging citizens through local programme delivery including cultural events.
Each local authority has now established a Culture Team bringing together arts officers, librarians, heritage officers, museum curators, archivists and other relevant personnel led by a Director of Services, with a nominated person as 'Creative Ireland Co-ordinator'.
A dedicated budget of €1m from the overall Creative Ireland Programme budget of €5m has been allocated to the local authorities towards the implementation of initiatives under Pillar Two including the publication of a Culture and Creative Plan for each county - reflecting at local level the overall structure and aims of the national programme - and the implementation of Cruinniú na Cásca, a programme of arts activities and events on Easter Monday. This funding will be in addition to the normal funding provided by the local authorities for cultural and artistic initiatives.
I understand that additional support will also be made available to the local authorities for these initiatives by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.
I am confident that this additional funding, together with the Culture Teams being put in place, will go a long way to promoting cultural activity across the country including multicultural events.
