The Taoiseach has said that he will double the overall budget of arts, culture and sport over the next seven years. I believe that we can meet this target by implementing sustainable increases on an incremental basis between now and 2025 – a process I initiated in Budget 2018, in spite of it being a tight year across the board.
In Budget 2018, I announced a funding package of over €300 million in 2018 towards the development of our cultural and creative heritage, an increase in funding to my Department of €13 million, comprising €9 million in current expenditure and €4 million in capital expenditure. This includes an €8.5 million boost in funding for arts and culture. I also secured an additional €90 million in capital funding between 2018 and 2021 for my Department which will accelerate investment across the culture, heritage and Gaeltacht sectors.
As part of €8.5 m in additional funding, the Arts Council will receive an additional €3 million to enhance its support to artists and arts organisations of all sizes throughout the country. The total Arts Council allocation of €68.2 million in 2018 represents 23% of total allocation to all areas of my Department and is over 49% of all current expenditure by the Culture Division of my Department. I also allocated an additional €1.55 m to the Irish Film Board equivalent to a 9.3% increase.
As the economy continues to improve over the coming years the Government's ambition is to allocate more resources to arts and culture and to continue to build on the foundations that I have put in place in Budget 2018.