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Project Ireland 2040

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020

Tuesday, 28 July 2020

Questions (314)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

314. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the specific projects funded under the Project Ireland 2040 capital plan; the amount committed to each project pre-Covid-19 and as a result of emergency funding. [19174/20]

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Written answers

My Department's investment programme under Project Ireland 2040 is set out in its sectoral plan Investing in our Culture, Language and Heritage – 2018 to 2027.   This plan involves three types of investment activity; major capital projects, capital investment and infrastructure programmes, and capital grant schemes. Major capital projects are appraised, planned, implemented and evaluated in line with the Public Spending Code and best practice guidance outlined in the Capital Works Management Framework published by the Office of Government Procurement. 

The majority of the Department’s major capital projects fall within an ambitious programme of redevelopment and renovation of our National Cultural Institutions (NCIs) where considerable progress has been made to date in progressing projects through the appraisal and design/planning stages. From a total investment of €460 million, the National Development Plan set out the following indicative investments for each of the projects included under this element of the Department’s investment programme. 

Institution

Indicative Investment by Department

National Library of Ireland

€23 million

National Archives

€22 million

National Museum of Ireland

€85 million

National Concert Hall

€78 million

Crawford Art Gallery

€22 million

National Gallery of Ireland

€54 million

Abbey Theatre

€80 million

Irish Museum of Modern Art

€36 million

Chester Beatty Library

€20 million

A further €40 million has also been set aside to address essential maintenance and remedial works in these historic buildings over the 10-year implementation period of the investment programme.

Already this year, my Department has commenced Phase 2 of the redevelopment of National Library of Ireland involving essential external works and investigative works relating to the historic West Wing of the library.  This phase will provide invaluable information which will ensure robust cost estimates for the major redevelopment of the West Wing in subsequent phases.  Similarly, the OPW, which is an important partner in the delivery of the NCI programme, will shortly commence investigative and remedial works at the Natural History Museum, which will again inform the final project budget.  In respect of the National Archives redevelopment, the project has just completed the tender stage and a tender analysis is currently underway.  This will inform the final project budget and construction is expected to commence within the coming months.  This redevelopment will see the Archives’ capacity increased significantly with the provision of a secure environmentally-controlled archival repository that meets modern archival standards.  All works are contingent on COVID-19 public health restrictions and guidelines currently in place. 

Work is continuing with the other National Cultural Institutions in partnership with the Office of Public Works to progress individual capital projects as they advance through the project life-cycle required by the Public Spending Code. I expect to approve a number of strategic assessments and preliminary business cases over the coming months to enable further appraisal, planning, design and procurement to commence.  In particular, I intend to advance projects at the Crawford Art Gallery, a further phase of the National Gallery of Ireland, the National Concert Hall and the Abbey Theatre. 

In respect of these major capital projects, the indicative investment set out in Project Ireland 2040 are managed in the context of multi-annual capital allocations available to my Department. However, as the Deputy will be aware, the Government, last week, announced a broad ranging stimulus package which included capital funding of up to €6 million being made available to my Department to accelerate the aforementioned planning, design and procurement phases at a number of these National Cultural Institutions.  This investment under the stimulus package is just one of a number of measures announced by Government to support the Culture and Gaeltacht sectors over the past months. 

As mentioned previously, these major capital projects are just one element of my Department's investment under Project Ireland 2040 with other crucial investments being delivered through investment programmes, grant schemes and in partnership with agencies under the aegis of the Department. 

Over the 10-years of the programme, we are investing €265 million in Culture and Creativity which includes a broad range of investments in the development and support for our audiovisual industry through Screen Ireland, in enhancing and future proofing our regional arts and culture infrastructure through a number of grant schemes, as well as supporting important projects like the Beyond 2022 project, which is currently in the process of digitally recreating the 1922 Public Records Office, and the redevelopment of the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin. 

Under the €285 million Heritage Investment Programme, we support a wide range of important built heritage restoration and maintenance projects across the country under both the Historic Structures Fund and Built Heritage Investment Scheme.  Funding of over €4.3 million was announced to support 449 projects under these schemes last month. In terms of our natural heritage, we are progressing a broad range of projects and programmes which protect our unique landscapes and enhance all our wellbeing through our National Parks and Nature Reserves.  2019 saw a significant programme of trails upgrades across this network which is being continued and expanded to include enhancing our visitor facilities and improving physical distancing measures in 2020.  Additionally, my Department also announced a major €5 million investment in peatlands restoration earlier this year.  

My Department is also working closely with Údarás na Gaeltachta to deliver a capital investment programme of €105 million to enhance and support employment opportunities across the Gaeltacht.  This is one element of a total €178 million investment in our language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands which will also see enhancements in marine infrastructure, in particular at Inis Oírr pier, and in language and cultural hubs throughout the country.  In terms of the latter, the Department is working closely with key partners Conradh na Gaeilge, Fáilte Ireland and Dublin City Council to redevelop 6 Harcourt Street as a flagship language and cultural hub in Dublin City.

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