Written Answers Nos. 691-703
691. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of agencies, boards or other bodies under the aegis of her Department that have been disbanded or amalgamated or whose functions were subsumed back into her department since 2011; the number of such bodies set up by her Department since that date; the names of the bodies in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3400/18]
View answerI am advised that no agencies, boards or other bodies under the aegis of my Department have been disbanded or amalgamated, nor have the functions of any such bodies been subsumed back into my Department, during this period. I am also advised that no such body has been set up by my Department since 2011.
692. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount paid out and the number of claims the payouts related to by each agency under the aegis of her Department in respect of personal injury claims in each of the years 2010 to 2017; the number of claims that were settled outside of court in each of these years; the number of payments that were as a result of a court judgment in each of these years; the nature of the claims; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3417/18]
View answerIn light of the volume of information requested by the Deputy, arrangements are being made for this information to be compiled and forwarded to the Deputy, in accordance with the timelines set out in Standing Orders.
693. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the action being taken to address the desecration of historical sites throughout the country with particular reference to recent events; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3469/18]
View answerAll known archaeological monuments, of which there are in excess of 130,000, are entitled to protection under the National Monuments Acts. Protection may be extended to previously unrecorded monuments by my Department entering them in the Register of Historic Monuments or the Record of Monuments and Places. The Acts also allow me to make a preservation order where I consider a national monument to be at risk.
As Minister, I am the owner or guardian under the National Monuments Acts of approximately 1,000 national monuments located at approximately 750 sites. Maintenance of such monuments is undertaken on my behalf by the Office of Public Works. Local authorities are responsible under the Acts for maintaining the national monuments of which they are owners or guardians.
My Department also liaises regularly with the utility and infrastructure providers and has agreed codes of practice with a number of these agencies aimed at safeguarding archaeological sites and monuments. In addition, awareness programmes are in place with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc and farm organisations that are aimed at raising awareness in relation to farming and archaeology.
Notwithstanding the wide ranging legal provisions and other programmes in place, damage to archaeological sites and monuments does occur from time to time. My Department records all reports of damage to recorded monuments. Such reports usually emanate from members of the public, local authorities or heritage-based NGOs. Cases involving alleged wilful damage to monuments are followed up in liaison with An Garda Síochána and prosecutions initiated where appropriate. There have been a number of convictions for such offences in recent years.
Protected structures are covered separately under the Planning and Developments Acts and local authorities have the appropriate enforcement measures in these cases.
694. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she has been in a position in 2018 to date to respond to various applications from community groups towards their performances and productions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3470/18]
View answerIn general, primary responsibility for the promotion and support of the arts at all levels is devolved to the Arts Council. The Arts Council operates under the provisions of the Arts Act 2003, which provides, inter alia, that the Council is independent in the performance of its functions in funding the arts. In Budget 2018, the Arts Council received and additional €3.2 million bringing the total Arts Council allocation of €68.2 million in 2018.
In addition, Pillar 2 of the Creative Ireland Programme - Enabling Creativity in every Community is a key element in encouraging creativity at local level. In 2017, my Department allocated €1m to 31 local authorities to enable them to develop and implement their Culture and Creativity Action Plans which included an associated programme of events and initiatives in each county. I plan to double this amount to €2m in 2018. A key principle underpinning the Creative Ireland Programme is community empowerment and therefore each local authority decided themselves what events/projects they wished to include in their respective plans.
The local authorities are currently preparing long-term Culture and Creativity Strategies which aim to ensure that people and communities across Ireland will have the opportunity to fully realise their creative potential. As part of this process, each culture team is consulting widely in relation to how it will implement and deliver the Creative Ireland Programme vision at local level. These Strategies will be accompanied by a separate Activity Programme for 2018 and for every subsequent year of the Strategy. It is expected that both the Strategies and Activity Plans will be published during the Spring of 2018.
695. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which full and final agreement has been reached with traditional turf cutters in respect of SACs and NHAs; the number of cases still outstanding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3471/18]
View answerIreland, like all EU Member States, is bound by the requirements of the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive. These Directives aim to ensure the protection of habitats and species which have been selected for conservation within special areas of conservation and special protection areas.
Significant efforts have been made by the State to resolve the issue of the protection of Ireland’s raised bog special areas of conservation within the framework of the Habitats Directive. This has included intense and on-going engagement with turf cutting interests, the farming community, non-governmental organisations and with the European Commission, as well as the establishment of a long-term compensation scheme for affected turf cutters.
The National Raised Bog Special Areas of Conservation Management Plan 2017-2022, published in December 2017, sets out how the raised bog special areas of conservation are to be managed, conserved and restored and how the needs of turf cutters are to be addressed, including exploring the options in terms of certain provisions of article 6 of the Habitats Directive.
13,429 annual payments and 994 deliveries of turf have been made in respect of applications received under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme for raised bog special areas of conservation. 737 annual payments and a delivery of turf have been made to applicants from raised bog natural heritage areas under the scheme. In addition, 1,782 once-off incentive payments of €500 have been made, of which 42 relate to natural heritage areas.
The Review of Raised Bog Natural Heritage Area Network, published in January 2014, concluded that Ireland could more effectively achieve conservation of threatened raised bog habitat through focused protection and restoration of a reconfigured network. Arising from this review, the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 has been presented to Dáil Éireann and is currently proceeding through the necessary stages in the Houses of the Oireachtas. Its purpose is to provide for the implementation of a reconfiguration of the natural heritage area network arising from the 2014 Review.
Final resolution of all issues in relation to the protection of Ireland’s protected raised bogs will only be brought about by everyone working together, within the law, with my Department and with the Peatlands Council, which was established for the purpose of ensuring the input from all stakeholders.
696. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which her Department continues to support and encourage the film industry including the use of the island of Ireland as a film location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3472/18]
View answerThe Irish Film Board is the national development agency for Irish film making and the Irish film, television and animation industry. Its statutory remit is to assist and encourage the making of film in the State and the development of a film industry in Ireland. In Budget 2018, I allocated an increase of €1.55 million to the Irish Film Board to build on its vital work in supporting Irish film, television drama, documentary and animation. This increases its annual budget by 9.3% to €18 million, 29% more than it was in 2014.
The Film Board supports writers, directors and production companies across these sectors by providing investment loans for the development, production and distribution of film, television and animation projects.
The Film Board also supports the Irish screen industries at major international markets and festivals, promotes inward investment, the use of Ireland as a location for international production and provides support for companies filming in Ireland. The Board liaises with IDA Ireland and Tourism Ireland to maximise opportunities for the promotion of Ireland as a location for film productions as well as a tourism destination. Information on its funding scheme is available on the Irish Film Board website at www.irishfilmboard.ie.
The other primary mechanism through which the Government supports the film industry is Section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 - the film tax relief scheme. My Department’s investment in the film sector will also help to maximise the benefits brought about by the Government’s enhancement of the Section 481 film tax credit system, including the decision to increase the cap for eligible expenditure on film projects to €70 million, as announced as part of Budget 2016.
The twin approach of direct funding and tax expenditure measures maximises the benefits of the Government’s support to the audiovisual industry.
Of relevance also is the economic analysis of our screen based creative industries which my Department has commissioned in partnership with the Departments of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and Business, Enterprise and Innovation. This Report will provide an input for the development of an industry-wide long term plan for Ireland as a global hub for the production of Film, TV Drama and Animation under Pillar 4 of the Creative Ireland Programme.
697. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which EU grant aid has been sought and remains available or is likely to become available to support various community festivals throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3473/18]
View answerThe Creative Europe programme 2014 - 2020 is the primary EU culture funding mechanism and has two funding sub-programmes: the Culture sub-programme operated through the Arts Council, and the Media sub-programme operated through the Irish Film Board. Demand, particularly in the Culture sub-programme far outstrips the budget available and has an overall success rate for applications from all countries of about 15%. Ireland’s own success rate is above the EU average at 18.9%
Under the Creative Europe – Culture Sub-Programme there is no dedicated funding strand for festivals. The majority of the funding available under the Culture Sub-Programme is via the Co-Operation Projects Strand, under which festivals are eligible to apply.
To date, under the co-operation projects strand, there have been 7 Irish festivals involved as partners in projects with a total project grant allocation of just over €7 million:
- Babóro Galway International Children’s Festival (Small Size, Performing Arts for Early Years)
- Photo Ireland Festival Ltd (Flaneur – New Urban Narratives)
- First Fortnight Ltd (Networking European Festivals for Mental Life Enhancement)
- Cuirt – Galway Arts Centre (Sharing the Wor(l)D)
- West Cork Literary Festival – West Cork Music (Reading for Enjoyment, Achievement and Development of Young People)
- Wexford Festival Trust (Opera Vision)
- Cork Midsummer Festival (Circus250: Diverse, Real, Physical)
The Culture Sub-Programme also funds EU networks and platforms via operating grants for the lead organisations. Below is a summary of Irish festivals which are members of Creative Europe supported platforms and networks:
- Dublin Dance Festival is a member of the Aerowaves Platform
- Galway Early Music Festival is a member of the European Early Music Network,
- YARN Storytelling Festival Bray is a member of the Federation for European Storytelling Network
As regards future funding at EU level, an important element will be the Multiannual Financial Framework budgetary plans the Commission will present in May 2018. There is currently an online public consultation underway covering programmes and actions aiming at protecting and promoting European values.
This consultation will significantly influence the Commission’s thinking as it prepares its proposals for funding 2021-2027 for May, and all citizens, stakeholders and organisations are encouraged to register their views. The consultation process can be accessed at the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/consultations/public-consultation-eu-funds-area-values-and-mobility_en.
I would encourage wide participation in this consultative process, as once the funding parameters are agreed at EU level there is no mechanism for revision, and decisions will be binding till 2027.
698. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she and her Department can assist various local musical and dramatic societies in respect of annual productions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3474/18]
View answerMy Department funds the Music Capital Scheme which provides grants to groups and individuals for the purchase of musical instruments. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that on 9 January last, I launched the new Music Capital Scheme with an increased allocation this year amounting to €245,000. Music Network manages the Scheme on behalf of my Department and the organisation referred to by the Deputy can apply for funding under the scheme. All details are available at
www.musicnetwork.ie/musicians/award1-info and www.musicnetwork.ie/musicians/award2-info.
While my Department does not fund local dramatic societies, the Creative Ireland Programme does support the work of local authorities in enabling creativity in every community.
In 2017, my Department allocated €1m to 31 local authorities to enable them to develop and implement their Culture and Creativity Action Plans which included an associated programme of events and initiatives in each county. I plan to double this funding in 2018. A key principle underpinning the Creative Ireland Programme is community empowerment and therefore each local authority decided themselves what events/projects they wished to include in their respective plans.
The local authorities are currently preparing long-term Culture and Creativity Strategies which aim to ensure that people and communities across Ireland will have the opportunity to fully realise their creative potential. As part of this process, each culture team is consulting widely in relation to how it will implement and deliver the Creative Ireland Programme vision at local level. These Strategies will be accompanied by a separate Activity Programme for 2018 and for every subsequent year of the Strategy. It is expected that both the Strategies and Activity Plans will be published during the Spring of 2018.
699. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which the sector continues to attract support from philanthropists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3475/18]
View answerPrivate support for the arts is an important funding source and the Government continues to support this through tax incentives and other initiatives. While my Department does not have a breakdown of the total flows of philanthropic funding to the sector, the Programme for a Partnership Government does contain a commitment to encourage strong, mutually beneficial links between the business community and the arts community to assist arts organisations to capitalise on sponsorship opportunities and to develop business partnerships and fundraising skills. In this regard, I recognise the important work carried out by Business to Arts for which my Department provides a small amount of assistance.
In addition, the Arts Council operates the RAISE programme, which seeks to enhance fund-raising skills in arts organisations with a view to diversifying the sector's sources of funding. It is designed to assist the sector in securing philanthropic contributions to the arts in Ireland.
In terms of other capital investment requiring co-funding, a €9 million investment scheme for arts and cultural centres is in progress and will run throughout 2018, focussed on upgrading the existing stock of such centres around the country. The funding, which is being made available as part of the Capital Investment Framework 2016-2021, is dependent on matching funding being secured by project promoters and therefore provides an opportunity for philanthropic support.
700. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which the arts and heritage sectors continue to generate employment throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3476/18]
View answerThe nature of employment within the arts and heritage sectors encompasses a wide range of activities, from theatre and music to archaeology and tourism. It may also embody the industrial creative sectors, including audio-visual production.
My primary role is to support artists and the creative industries in Ireland using the mechanisms available to me across Government on common initiatives such as the Action Plan for Jobs.
For example, the Creative Ireland Programme is an all-of-government high level, high ambition, five-year initiative, from 2017 to 2022, which aims to place creativity at the centre of public policy.
The Programme encourages and supports active participation in creative activity, particular but not exclusively through the arts and culture. The Programme is based on the belief that nurturing the creative imagination is crucially important for individual wellbeing, social cohesion and economic success, and that the best way to nurture the creative imagination is through active participation in creative activity. The Programme is delivered primarily through existing structures – the 31 local authorities, the Arts Council, the Film Board, and relevant Government Departments, including my own Department.
In Budget 2018, I announced a funding package of over €300 million in 2018 towards the development of our cultural and creative heritage. This represents an increase in funding to my Department of €13 million, comprising €9 million in current expenditure and €4 million in capital expenditure. 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.
All of this represents real and substantial funding increases across the cultural, heritage and Gaeltacht areas of my Department, which will lead to greater employment in these areas.
701. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans and vision for the utilisation of Ireland's culture as an international national brand with consequent economic benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3477/18]
View answerThe Creative Ireland Programme presents an opportunity to create a unified articulation of Ireland's values, capabilities and beliefs - based on our culture and creativity - that represents a considered, compelling and imaginative view of how we wish to be seen by the outside world with direct and indirect economic and social benefits. A new portal website www.ireland.ie articulating this vision was unveiled in March 2017 with an accompanying video 'This is Ireland'. We will continue to work across Government in 2018, to further enhance Ireland's cultural and artistic reputation, particularly in the context of the Taoiseach's commitment to doubling our global footprint.
The forthcoming national cultural policy Culture 2025 also undertakes to promote Ireland's culture on the international stage, and recognises the value of culture in presenting Ireland to the world.
The remit of Culture Ireland, a division of my Department, is to promote and advance Irish arts worldwide thus strengthening Ireland’s cultural profile and global reputation. Strategic priorities include providing support for the international presentation of Irish artists and arts organisations, developing new and diverse international audiences and markets for Irish arts, and linking culture into the Government’s international promotion strategy in tandem with other relevant Government Agencies.
Culture Ireland has extensive international reach, supporting Irish artists at hundreds of international events every year and is seeking to continually increase this number. In 2017 Culture Ireland supported 450 events with Irish artists in 50 countries, reaching a live audience of 3.5 million and 7 million online. Many of these artists achieved high profile awards and critical recognition.
In 2018 Culture Ireland will present Culture Ireland GB18, a year-long programme of Irish arts in Great Britain. The year-long programme aims to showcase Irish artistic excellence in partnership with significant UK institutions, venues and festivals, to build on the unique cultural relationship between the two countries and expand the reach of Irish culture to new audiences.
Great Britain is a key market for Ireland in terms of tourism, trade and investment promotion and the GB18 programme enables us our culture to continue to serve as a unique door-opener for Ireland and Irish business, and an effective means of articulating our values at a time of change in Ireland's wider relationship with Britain.
702. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she and her Department expect to be in a position to enhance the promotion and development of an awareness of the arts and culture with a view to maximising economic benefit in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3478/18]
View answerThe Creative Ireland Programme is a cross-Government initiative to mainstream culture and creativity in the life of the nation and to promote individual, community and national wellbeing.
The Programme embraces the whole cultural sector, bringing together all those involved in the arts, film, broadcasting, visual arts, cultural heritage, the Irish language and Gaeltacht, with Government Departments and State agencies. Implementation of the Programme is underpinned by three essential operating principles - collaboration and communication, community empowerment and internationalisation.
The programme is based on five pillars which are: 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 and unifying our global reputation. Implementation of the Programme, while under the aegis of my Department, will, where the opportunity arises, primarily be through, and in collaboration with existing agencies, local authorities, cultural institutions, State bodies and other cultural partners. Pillars 2, 3 and 4 of the Programme are of particular relevance to the economic development of communities.
My Department, together with its other partners, is now in the process of finalising plans to further the implementation of the Creative Ireland Programme for 2018 and beyond in respect of the five pillars of the programme, working collaboratively with colleagues across Government and in the sector.
703. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of plans to secure UNESCO recognition for the transtlantic cable station at Valentia Island; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3482/18]
View answerAs a precursor to being nominated to UNESCO for World Heritage status, a site must first go through a comprehensive assessment process at national level that would lead, with UNESCO's agreement, to its placement on Ireland’s World Heritage Tentative List. Later this year, my Department will be inviting applications from candidate sites for inclusion on the upcoming 2020 Tentative List. Inclusion on list will ultimately be determined by whether a site meets relevant criteria relating, inter alia, to outstanding universal value, availability of adequate site management and protection resources, and the extent of stakeholder engagement and support for the bid.
I am aware of the Valentia Cable Station supporters' interest in getting on to the 2020 list as a transboundary proposal with its counterpart at Heart's Content, Newfoundland, Canada. The cable stations at Valentia and Heart's Content are at opposite ends of the first transatlantic telegraph system and a potential bid for World Heritage status would centre on the unique history and relationship between the two sites.
My Department is in contact with its Canadian counterpart, Parks Canada, in relation to the Valentia proposal and has informed them that Ireland will support the Valentia bid once it meets the qualifying criteria.
I understand that a considerable amount of preparatory work has already been done locally on the Valentia proposal which will assist in the preparation of the Tentative List application later in the year. My Department will also provide such advice and guidance as it can support Kerry County Council as the lead organisation at local level.
