Written Answers Nos. 109-125
109. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if responsibility for dance policy and funding is categorised as part of sports within the remit of the Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht and sport; and if not, if it is categorised as arts and remains her responsibility. [10671/21]
View answerSection 2 of the Arts Act 2003 defines the arts to mean any creative or interpretive expression (whether traditional or contemporary) in whatever form, and including, in particular, visual arts, theatre, literature, music, dance, opera, film, circus and architecture.
Dance is a widely practised artform in Ireland and covers activities which range from highly trained professional dancers who earn their income from their art to people of all ages engaging in various forms of dance as a hobby.
The Arts Council supports dance across a number of genres through grant programmes and awards, and invests in future developments through special initiatives devised in partnership with others. The Arts Council have in place a number of schemes and initiatives for the particular support of dance and a list of dance organisations funded by the Arts Council can be viewed on the website at the following links http://www.artscouncil.ie/Arts-in-Ireland/Dance/Links/. The Arts Council’s current dance policy is published on its website at this link http://www.artscouncil.ie/uploadedFiles/Dance_Policy_2018(1).pdf.
In addition, my Department provides funding to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ), which is the largest organisation involved in the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music and dance. CCÉ has hundreds of branches in every Irish county including in small towns and villages. My Department provides annual funding to CCÉ for its work in the protection and promotion of Irish dance, Irish traditional music and culture.
My Department does not have responsibility for oversight of the commercial provision of dancing in the State.
110. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her plans to bring in a grant scheme for the purchase of vessels engaged in marine tourism similar to the scheme in the operational programme for tourism 1994 to 1999 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10686/21]
View answerI note that the Deputy asked this question recently. I refer the Deputy to my reply ( PQ 5520/21, Dáil Number 235) where I referred the question to Fáilte Ireland for direct reply. I understand that Fáilte Ireland wrote to the Deputy on 22 February 2021. Please advise my private office if you have not yet received this information.
111. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the financial and business supports available through Fáilte Ireland to assist the Irish sea angling charter industry due to the disruption caused by Covid-19 over the past year; if the amount of funding and the areas to which funding has been allocated in the past year will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10743/21]
View answerThe July Stimulus and Budget 2021 provided a significant package of tax and fiscal measures to build the resilience of the economy and to help vulnerable but viable businesses across all sectors.
I have referred the Deputy's question to Fáilte Ireland for further details on the financial and business supports they have made available in the past year including supports for the sea angling charter industry. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
112. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of planned changes to the rules of a pension scheme (details supplied) and arrangements and the annual administration fees pertaining to the superannuation scheme, specifically the outcome of consideration of this issue by her Department, NewERA and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10753/21]
View answerAs Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, I have responsibility for the governance of RTÉ to ensure the company is fully compliant with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State bodies and the governance functions included in the legislative and regulatory framework for broadcasting.
The RTÉ Superannuation Scheme is a funded, contributory defined benefit scheme, established under legislation and sponsored by RTÉ. The scheme is managed by a board of trustees who have responsibility for overseeing the schemes’ operations, including the investment of the schemes’ assets.
The proposal to amend the RTÉ Superannuation Scheme is currently under consideration, in consultation with NewEra and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. No final decision has been made at this time.
113. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if additional supports will be made available for a tourist site (details supplied) which has experienced a huge drop in footfall in 2020 and 2021 but still incurs large maintenance costs to continue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10764/21]
View answerThe July Stimulus and Budget 2021 provided a significant package of tax and fiscal measures to build the resilience of the economy and to help vulnerable but viable businesses across all sectors. Most recently Fáilte Ireland launched a Tourism Business Continuity Scheme (TBCS) to provide support to providers of certain tourism services who have been unable to qualify for assistance under the Government's Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS). It is designed to help these tourism businesses offset their fixed costs incurred last year and support them to continue operating through 2021.
The Deputy will be aware that on 23 February the Government published "COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 The Path Ahead". Over the coming period, Government will continue to support tourism businesses by extending the COVID Restrictions Support Scheme, the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme, and the current commercial rates waiver for a further three months.
The Government has also committed to publishing a National Economic Recovery Plan. As part of the Plan the Government will consider more targeted measures to help re-boot those sectors, such as tourism, who will face particular challenges during the recovery phase when the economy reopens.
114. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if a sports capital grant will be awarded to a club (details supplied). [10805/21]
View answerThe Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 12,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to close to €1 billion.
It is open to any organisation, including the organisation referred to by the Deputy, with a suitable project to apply for funding under the 2020 Round of the Programme. The deadline for applications is 5pm on 1 March 2021 however registrations for new applicants closed on 15th February last.
115. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of formal and informal Council of the European Union meetings that have been held since 27 June 2020 under the remit of her Department; and the number of formal and informal meetings, respectively held virtually. [10824/21]
View answerIn the period specified by the Deputy, two European Council Education, Youth Culture and Sport (EYCS) meetings in relation to those sectors under the remit of my Department. The table below provides details of these meetings both of which were held on 1st December 2020. I attended the EYCS Council - Ministers for Culture and Media while my colleague Minister of State Chambers attended the EYCS Council – Ministers for Sport meeting.
|
Date |
Meeting Title |
Video Conference or Physical Meeting |
|
01 Dec 2020 |
EYCS Council – Ministers for Culture and Media (AM) |
Video Conference |
|
01 Dec 2020 |
EYCS Council – Ministers for Sport (PM) |
Video Conference |
In addition to the formal Council of the European Union meetings detailed in the table above, on 28th September 2020 I also participated in a high-level informal (virtual) meeting of EU Tourism Ministers, in order to share experiences of the impact of the pandemic on the tourism sector and to discuss the challenges for tourism policy and the decisions to be taken for the future.
My colleague Minister Chambers also attended an informal round table meeting of Ministers with responsibility for Sport on 15th January this year. Details of both these meetings are set out in the table below.
|
Date |
Meeting Title |
Video Conference or Physical |
|
28 Sept 2020 |
Tourism Ministers informal |
Video Conference |
|
15 Jan 2021 |
Ministerial Round Table Ministers responsible for Sport |
Video Conference |
116. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number and value of procurement contracts for Covid-19-related spending in 2020 and 2021 that took place via negotiated procedure without prior publication in her Department. [11189/21]
View answer117. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the breakdown of procurement contracts for Covid-19-related spending in 2020 and 2021 that took place via negotiated procedure without prior publication by her Department, by goods and service type in tabular form. [11218/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 117 together.
The information requested by the Deputy in respect of those procurement contracts entered into by my Department for Covid-19 related spending in 2020 and 2021 via negotiated procedure without prior publication, is set out in the table below. This procurement was necessitated to ensure the continued operational capability of the Department during the COVID-19 Pandemic, an event unforeseeable by the Department.
|
Supplier Name |
Payment Date |
Total Cost |
Goods purchased |
|
DCB GROUP LTD |
01-Apr-2020 |
€38,130 |
Purchase of laptops to support remote working capability |
|
DCB GROUP LTD |
01-Apr-2020 |
€43,050 |
Purchase of laptops to support remote working capability |
|
ECOM SOLUTIONS LTD |
27-May-2020 |
€9,954 |
Purchase of security related licences to support remote working capability |
|
ECOM SOLUTIONS LTD |
01-Jul-2020 |
€3,668 |
Purchase of security related licences to support remote working capability |
|
HUNT OFFICE TECHNOLOGY LTD |
01-Apr-2020 |
€56,924 |
Purchase of laptops to support remote working capability |
118. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 76 of 25 November 2020, if further details on the social clauses included in some below-threshold procurement contracts referenced will be provided in particular with regard to the nature of the contract work, the year of the contract, the value of the contract and a description of the social clause and consideration used therein, in tabular form. [10783/21]
View answerFurther details of the contracts referenced in Parliamentary Question No. 76 of 25 November 2020 are set out in the attached table.
My Department endeavours to comply with Section 27 of the Disability Act, 2005, with reference to the National Disability Authority (NDA) guidelines on the subject. These include the NDA’s 2012 publication, ‘Access and Procurement’, which can be found at http://nda.ie/Good-practice/Guidelines/Procurement-and-Accessibility/.
|
Nature of contract |
Year of contract |
Value of contract |
Details of social consideration |
|
The provision of accessibility audits for Department offices |
2020 |
€12,269.25 |
Accessibility audits must comply with National Disability Authority guidelines on the subject. |
|
Taxi services |
2020 |
Direct drawdown |
The OGP RFT stipulated that 'Tenderers must satisfy the Minimum Fleet Capacity set out below in respect of each Lot they have tendered for: Lot 1: Tenderers must have a minimum ‘fleet’ of 900 vehicles. A minimum of 10% (i.e. 90 vehicles) of the fleet must be wheelchair accessible taxis. Lot 2: Tenderers must have a minimum ‘fleet’ of 200 vehicles. A minimum of 10% (i.e. 20 vehicles) of the fleet must be wheelchair accessible taxis. |
|
The provision of rented franking machines to Department offices |
2020 |
€12,612.90 |
Tenderers were required to provide supporting documentation demonstrating that the franking machines are easy to reach, easy to see, and easy to operate, and can be operated by those with dexterity or mobility limitations. |
119. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has considered reinstating the rates waiver for vacant premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10865/21]
View answerGiven the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and the associated public health restrictions and in order to continue supporting ratepayers and local authorities, the Government recently announced that the commercial rates waiver put in place for the first quarter of 2021 will be extended to the second quarter; it applies to businesses most seriously affected by ongoing restrictions.
The 2021 waiver is necessarily more targeted than was the case in 2020 and is aimed at supporting businesses closed or very seriously impacted by current restrictions, which ordinarily provide employment and generate economic activity. Automatic eligibility is extended to retail, hospitality including hotels, pubs and restaurants, leisure and entertainment, personal services such as hairdressers and barbers, health services and various other categories. All vacant property (i.e. vacant property as is ordinarily understood for rates purposes) is excluded from the waiver in line with the objective of targeting support where it has most impact.
As has been the case since the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic, my Department will continue to engage with the local government sector and with individual local authorities on the financial impacts of the pandemic. As with all public health measures and associated supports, the waiver of commercial rates will be kept under review.
120. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when an updated rural housing planning guideline document will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10611/21]
View answerWork is current underway in preparation of an update of the 2005 Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for planning authorities, which were issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). I expect to receive a draft before Easter. However, given the complexity of the issues involved, the need for environmental assessment and both internal and external consultation, it will not be possible to conclude the updating process until Q2 2021.
My Department communicated to planning authorities (Circular letter PL 2/2017) on 31 May 2017, advising that the existing 2005 Guidelines remain in place until advised otherwise by the Department and this remains valid.
Under the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing 2005, planning authorities are required to frame the planning policies in their development plans in a balanced and measured way that ensures the housing needs of rural communities are met, while avoiding excessive urban-generated housing.
121. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if contractors are allowed on site to secure a build that is open to the elements (details supplied). [10658/21]
View answer122. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to allow small-scale construction to resume in cases in which the residency in the home depends on the construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10673/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 122 together.
The Government announced that additional public health restrictions would apply under Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19 on 6 January 2021. The additional restrictions required all construction activity to cease from 6pm on Friday 8 January, with a number of exceptions. These measures are set out in The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) (No. 10) Regulations 2020 (as amended).
With regard to private housing development, the Regulations provide that housing and construction works ongoing on 8 January could continue where the works required to render the property capable of occupation were scheduled for completion by 31 January 2021. The Regulations also provide for the supply and delivery of essential or emergency maintenance and repair services to businesses and homes (including electrical, gas, oil, plumbing, glazing and roofing services) on an emergency call-out basis.
On 23 February, the Government announced that the current level 5 restrictions will remain in place until 5 April 2021.
123. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the designation status of a natural heritage area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10683/21]
View answerThe Review of Raised Bog Natural Heritage Area Network, published in January 2014, provides detail on arrangements regarding turf cutting on each of the 75 raised bog natural heritage areas. The review concludes that Ireland could more effectively achieve conservation of threatened raised bog habitat through focused protection and restoration of a reconfigured network which entails:
1. The cessation of turf-cutting on 36 natural heritage areas, which will remain designated - this includes 7 sites to be divided, with part to be conserved and part de-designated;
2. The de-designation of 46 natural heritage areas - including the relevant areas of the 7 sites to be divided - where it has been judged that their conservation potential is expected to be marginal and/or restoration would be prohibitively expensive for the conservation benefits achieved. Domestic turf-cutting may continue on these sites; and
3. The designation as natural heritage areas of 25 currently undesignated raised bogs, which are in public ownership or where there is reduced turf cutting pressure. These sites are to be proposed for designation to make up for the loss of habitat within the natural heritage area sites where domestic turf cutting may continue.
The purpose of the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 is to give legislative effect to the outcome of the 2014 Review of Raised Bog Natural Heritage Area Network. The Bill was passed by the Dáil on 13 December 2018. The Bill was passed by the Seanad on 6 November 2019.
16 amendments to the Bill were made in the Seanad. The Bill has to be restored to the Order Paper of the Dáil in order for these amendments to be considered by that House.
The site referred to in the Deputy's Question is one of those scheduled for de-designation.
124. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if advice and assistance will be provided in relation to a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10687/21]
View answer125. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to provide a retrofitting programme for sections 38 and 39 residential housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10695/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 124 and 125 together.
The Energy Efficiency Programme for 2021 will be the first year of a newly revised ten year programme designed to help deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to retrofitting 500,000 homes by 2030 to a B2/cost optimal BER standard. It is expected that approximately 36,500 of those will be local authority owned homes.
The 2021 programme has a budget of €65m and will target the retrofit of 2,400 local authority owned homes, 750 of which relate to the Midlands retrofit Pilot launched in 2020.
Homes owned by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are not part of the local authority owned housing stock and therefore are not eligible to apply for funding under a budget dedicated to the retrofit of local authority owned homes. Alternative options are available to AHBs and the properties may be eligible for support for upgrade works under the National Home Retrofit Scheme and the Community Energy Grants scheme which are administered by SEAI. Under these schemes the budget allocated by Government amounts to €51.5m in 2021.
The National Home Retrofit scheme is suitable for One-Stop-Shops, Residential Service Providers, Employers, Financial Institutions, registered Housing Associations and Local Authorities who wish to participate in delivering energy efficiency upgrades to homes. Further information is available here: https://www.seai.ie/grants/national-home-retrofit/.
The Community Energy Grants Scheme funds community based partnerships to improve the energy efficiency of the building stock in their area – homes, including those at risk of energy poverty, community facilities and businesses. These partnerships can be between the public and private sectors, domestic and non-domestic sectors, commercial and not-for-profit organisations and energy suppliers. Further information is available here: https://www.seai.ie/grants/community-grants/.
