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Wednesday, 27 May 2020

Written Answers Nos. 1087-1106

Gorse Burning

Questions (1087, 1088)

Steven Matthews

Question:

1087. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will consider reviewing the existing penalties for those prosecuted for illegal gorse fires in view of the contention of many heritage and wildlife groups that the existing measures do not act as a sufficient deterrent. [7356/20]

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Steven Matthews

Question:

1088. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of persons prosecuted for illegally starting gorse fires in 2018 and 2019, by county. [7358/20]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1087 and 1088 together.

My Department has taken some 8 prosecutions under the Wildlife Acts since 2010 for illegal burning of vegetation in counties Clare, Cork and Kerry. Fines have ranged from €50 to €600 with in some cases defendants also paying the prosecution legal costs and expenses. My Department also liaises with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) on cross compliance issues. It is my Department’s understanding that where there is sufficient evidence to indicate that lands have been illegally burned, DAFM will withhold payments to individuals. This sends out an important message. Officers of An Garda Síochána are also authorised to take prosecutions under the Wildlife Acts.

All the penalties for breaches of the Wildlife Acts were recently reviewed and changes were incorporated in the Heritage Act 2018. The penalties for breaches of the provisions of Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts relating to the illegal cutting of hedges, clearing and burning vegetation are now set as a class A fine and carry penalties of up to €5,000. An Garda Síochána may also take criminal prosecutions for damage to property as a result of burning.

Question No. 1089 answered with Question No. 1083.

Health and Safety Regulations

Questions (1090)

Joan Collins

Question:

1090. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if an organisation (details supplied) is proposing its members should be appointed as Covid-19 safety representatives; and her views on whether safety representatives should be from the workers in this industry and random checks should be carried out on all productions. [7377/20]

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Written answers

The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation has published the National Return to Work Safely Protocol, which guides businesses in making their assessments and adapting their workplace procedures and practices to comply fully with the COVID-19 related public health protection measures. The Protocol sets out in very clear terms for employers and workers the steps that they must take firstly before a workplace reopens, and then while it continues to operate.

The Protocol is available at https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Publications/Return-to-Work-Safely-Protocol.html

The Health and Safety Authority, which is an agency of that Department, is the lead agency in overseeing compliance with the Protocol in the workplace. If employers or employees need further guidance on the Protocol, the HSA Helpline can be contacted at 1890 289 389 or wcu@hsa.ie.

Film Industry

Questions (1091)

Joan Collins

Question:

1091. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to plans to develop a new film and television studio in the greater Dublin area; and if so, the support which will be provided to this development. [7379/20]

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Written answers

I understand that on 11 May last, elected members of South Dublin County Council agreed to the sale of 48 acres at Grange Castle Business Park to Lens Media Limited and that there are plans that that the site will be used for the construction of a media park which will incorporate sound stages, workshop space and office space and will facilitate film, TV and digital content production. Planned new studio facilities would be a welcome addition to the existing studio infrastructure in Ireland. Financial support to private sector infrastructure projects are subject to European State Aid rules.

Ireland’s reputation as a location for production - both inward and indigenous - continues to grow. The Government highly values the cultural, creative and economic potential of Ireland’s audiovisual industry, as reflected in the incorporation of €200m to be invested in the industry through Screen Ireland over the 10 years to 2027 and the Audiovisual Action Plan. Government support for the sector is also provided through the section 481 tax credit and training and skills development initiatives as part of that process have contributed to growing Ireland’s skilled audiovisual workforce, making Ireland an attractive destination for film-making. This has given rise to an increased demand for film studio space across the country. Expansions of high quality studio space have already taken place in areas such as Troy Studios in Limerick and a number of major international projects have chosen to film on location in Ireland. While the current COVID-19 crisis has lead to the temporary cessation of live action productions, it is hoped that the easing of restrictions in the coming weeks and months will allow the resumption of work already in the pipeline. In addition, in response to the lack of production activity at this time, measures introduced by Screen Ireland to support the industry are designed to aid production companies and creative talent in developing a strong slate of quality projects, so that the industry can emerge from the current situation in a position to scale up production activity in studios across the country and respond to the global rise in demand for audiovisual content. I look forward to the development of this proposed media park in Dublin and the contribution it will make to growing the audiovisual sector in Ireland.

Wildlife Control

Questions (1092)

Duncan Smith

Question:

1092. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide the details including briefing notes of the briefing provided to her by her Department in respect of the derogation declarations for 2020 and 2021, that is, for the period 1 May 2020 to 30 April 2021 with regard to the customary annual derogations declarations that cater for the control of certain wild bird species in the interests of public health and safety and to protect air safety. [7380/20]

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Written answers

I attach the documentation submitted to me in respect of the Declarations for the period 1 May 2020 to 30 April 2021.

Wild Birds

Questions Nos. 1093 to 1095, inclusive, answered with Question No. 1083.

Hare Coursing

Questions (1096)

Niall Collins

Question:

1096. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when a licence will be issued (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7463/20]

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Written answers

My Department has received an application from the organisation in question and a decision will be made on the application in due course.

Question No. 1097 answered with Question No. 1083.

Architectural Heritage

Questions (1098)

Niall Collins

Question:

1098. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department will purchase land to secure the curtilage of a monument (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7758/20]

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Written answers

The national monuments in State care already take in some one thousand sites at over 760 locations around the country. These command very considerable resource commitments in terms of both funding and personnel. Nevertheless, in the interests of preservation, conservation, management and presentation of the built and archaeological heritage, my Department acquires certain additional heritage properties and monuments from time to time as resources and opportunities permit. These properties may come onto the open market, may be bequeathed to the State or may be offered to it free of cost.

Lands surrounding or in proximity to national monuments or heritage properties in State care often reside in private ownership. In some cases, improved protection of, or access to, the monument or property may be achieved by the State acquiring such lands. In all cases the Department examines the potential acquisition carefully, taking into account the conservation needs of the property and Value for Money principles.

The monument referred to by the Deputy is a national monument in my guardianship as Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Day-to-day management and maintenance of the monument is undertaken by the Office of Public Works on behalf of, and in consultation with, my Department. It is fully protected under the provisions of the National Monuments Acts, 1930-2014, and any works at or in proximity to it require Ministerial Consent under Section 14 of the 1930 Act.

There are currently no proposals before my Department in relation to the acquisition of land in the vicinity of this national monument. The Department is aware though of certain issues relating to its protection and presentation and is in touch with the local authority and Office of Public Works in relation to them. As already referred to, the purchase of an adjacent or surrounding property is among the strategies that may come to be considered for ensuring the protection of a national monument. My Department is, however, only ever in a position to make a very limited number of such acquisitions and, for business reasons, does not publicly disclose its interest in advance of any purchase negotiations.

Irish Language

Questions (1099)

Seán Haughey

Question:

1099. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on the number of Béarlachas words entering the Irish language even though Irish words and expressions already exist in these cases; her plans to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7760/20]

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Written answers

My Department is working with various institutions to develop a range of Irish language terminology and lexicography projects.

Funding continues to be provided for the successful Irish/EU terminology project LEX (GA IATE), which is now in its 11th year. The project, run in collaboration with Dublin City University, produces terminology in the Irish language for inclusion in the European Union’s multilingual terminology database, IATE. The project has so far yielded 65,592 Irish IATE entries. Irish is in second place, just behind Polish, in terms of the number of IATE entries for the ‘new’ post-2004 official languages. Funding is currently in place for this project until the end of 2021.

The purpose of producing a dictionary is to mirror the vernacular and this is reflected in Foras na Gaeilge's approach to its lexicographical work, including the New English Irish Dictionary. It is natural in any language for words from other languages to enter its lexicography and, while there are those who may wish use native words at all times, the nature of sociolinguistics is complex and evolving for all languages. Notwithstanding this, Foras na Gaeilge has a Terminology Committee which aims to develop, approve and make available standard authoritative Irish language terminology to support Irish as a medium of communication in a modern society. The National Terminology Database for Irish can be accessed at https://www.tearma.ie/.

Questions Nos. 1100 and 1101 answered with Question No. 1083.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (1102)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

1102. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if supports will be put in place for buskers that suffer a loss of income until such a time as busking can recommence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7854/20]

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Written answers

The Government put income supports in place for people who have lost their income as a result of the restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of the corona virus. My colleague the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection is responsible for the COVID 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This payment paid by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, is available to employees and self-employed who have lost their income as a consequence of the Coronavirus pandemic. The conditions for receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is that a person must be of working age between 18 and up to 66 years old and have been in employment immediately before 13th March. The conditions around the payment of this payment to self-employed people is that they must have experienced a collapse of income, and be available to take up other full-time work if it was available in order to qualify. Further detail on this emergency payment and the full range of income supports available to people is available on www.gov.ie

Questions Nos. 1103 and 1104 answered with Question No. 1083.

Covid-19 Paindéim

Questions (1105)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

1105. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cén dul chun cinn atá déanta ó thaobh na mbeart agus na dtacaíochtaí atá beartaithe chun dul i ngleic leis an ngéarchéim i gceantair Ghaeltachta de bharr Covid-19, go háirithe na coláistí samhraidh agus iad curtha ar ceal. [8046/20]

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Written answers

Dírím aird an Teachta ar na ceisteanna atá freagartha agam cheana féin faoin ábhar seo. Mar atá ráite agam cheana féin, tar éis dul i gcomhairle leis na húdaráis sláinte agus ar mhaithe le sláinte phoiblí a chosaint, ag cur san áireamh na bearta éigeandála atá á nglacadh maidir le Covid-19, d’fhógair mo Roinn le gairid nach reáchtálfar aon chúrsa foghlama Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht an samhradh seo de bharr na paindéime Covid-19.

Aithnítear gur cuid lárnach de bhonneagar sóisialta agus geilleagrach na Gaeltachta iad na coláistí agus suas le 27,000 scoláire go bliantúil ag freastal ar cheann de 42 coláiste agus iad ag fanacht le ceann den 700 teaghlach Gaeltachta atá incháilithe faoi Scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge de chuid na Roinne le lóistín a chur ar fáil. Meastar gur fiú c.€50m sa bhliain í earnáil na gcoláistí Gaeilge do gheilleagar na Gaeltachta nuair a chuirtear san áireamh na hóstáin, tithe aíochta, bialann agus gnólachtaí a dtugann tuismitheoirí na bhfoghlaimeoirí cuairt orthu i gcaitheamh an tsamhraidh.

Mar atá luaite agam roimhe seo, tá cíoradh á dhéanamh i rith an ama ag an Roinn ar an mbealach is fearr is féidir chun earnáil na gcoláistí Gaeilge a chobhsú. Chuige sin, tá mé féin agus oifigigh mo Roinne i dteagmháil i rith an ama le scáthghrúpa na gcoláistí samhraidh, CONCOS.

Is i gcomhar le páirtithe leasmhara atá an obair seo idir lámha i dtreo féachaint chuige go mbeidh teacht aniar ann don earnáil trí chéile in 2021 agus sna blianta ina dhiaidh sin.

Maidir leis na heagraíochtaí Gaeltachta atá bainteach le raon leathan scéimeanna agus bearta a riar thar ceann nó i gcomhar leis an Roinn faoi scáth Chlár Tacaíochtaí Pobail agus Teanga na Roinne, lena n-áirítear Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga, mheabhróinn don Teachta go bhfuil céimeanna glactha cheana féin ag an Roinn chun a chinntiú go bhfuil cistíocht chuí curtha ar fáil do na heagraíochtaí sin araon i bhfoirm réamhíocaíochta le go mbeidh cinnteacht airgeadais acu sa tréimhse dhúshlánach seo.

Maidir lena bhfuil ar bun ag Údarás na Gaeltachta chun dul i ngleic leis na dúshláin reatha, tá an tÚdarás ag obair as lámh a chéile le Ranna Rialtais agus Gníomhaireachtaí ábhartha eile i rith an ama chun a chinntiú go mbainfidh a chliant comhlachtaí leas as an raon tacaíochtaí atá ar fail ón Stát. Sa chomhthéacs sin, is fiú dom a threisiú go bhfuil teagmháil leanúnach ar bun idir oifigigh mo Roinne agus Údarás na Gaeltachta chun a chinntiú go bhfuil na tacaíochtaí sin ag feidhmiú mar is cuí agus chun brúphointí airgeadais a mhaolú.

Fearacht na socraithe atá luaite agam i ndáil leis na heagraíochtaí Gaeltachta a fheidhmíonn le cúnamh reatha na Roinne, chuir an Roinn cistíocht chuí i bhfoirm réamhíocaíochta ar fáil don Údarás chun go mbeadh siad in ann coinneáil orthu ag seachadadh clár oibre atá ar leas foriomlán a chliant comhlachtaí agus geilleagar na Gaeltachta i ndeireadh báire.

Tá Údarás na Gaeltacha ag obair go dlúth le Fiontraíocht Éireann chomh maith le cinntiú go bhfuil scéimeanna tacaíochta na heagraíochta sin ar fáil do ghnólachtaí Gaeltachta go díreach tríd an Údarás. Tá deontais agus dearbháin éagsúla ar fáil chun tacú le pleanáil airgeadais, leanúnachas gnó agus trádáil ar line, mar aon leis na cistí maoinithe agus tacaíochtaí eile atá curtha ar fáil ag an Rialtas, cosúil leis an Scéim Fóirdheontais Pá Covid-19.

Arts Funding

Questions (1106)

Cathal Crowe

Question:

1106. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding committed to festivals due to take place in County Clare in 2020, in tabular form; if the funding commitments will be honoured in view of the outlays incurred by festival committees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8146/20]

View answer

Written answers

There were no applications from Co Clare to my Department's 2020 Small Local Festivals and Summer Schools Scheme.

The Arts Council fund a number of festivals in the county of Clare under its Festival investment scheme. Further details of this scheme and others can be accessed on the Arts Council website at the following link http://www.artscouncil.ie/Arts-in-Ireland/Festivals/

All funding decisions can be viewed on its website at the following link http://www.artscouncil.ie/funding-decisions/. Funding decisions are routinely published in its annual reports and financial statements that are also available on its website. The Arts Council’s annual reports and accounts are routinely laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Below is the list of festivals that the Arts Council funded in County Clare in 2019 under their programme Festival investment scheme.

- Feakle International Traditional Music Festival- €3,000

- Consairtín=- Consairtín 2019, the national concertina convention. €5,000

- Ennis Book Club Festival €25,500

- Iniscealtra Arts Festival / Iniscealtra Festival of the Arts €9,500

- Killaloe Chamber Music Festival €16,000

- Oidhreacht an Chlair 7th Annual Concertina Cruinniú €3,467

- Sixmilebridge Folk Club / The Shannonside Winter Music Festival €5,000

Under the Festival investment scheme, the Arts Council provides financial support to a number of single art form festivals (e.g. theatre, dance, film) and such festivals are supported within the policy context of those art forms. We also support many multidisciplinary arts festivals, meaning those festivals that programme across different art forms, including literature, music, street arts, theatre, visual arts and different areas of arts practice.

It is important to note that under the Arts Act that the Council is statutorily independent in its funding decisions, therefore neither the Minister nor her officials have any input into this funding.

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