Written Answers Nos. 111-125
111. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the action taken to tackle discrimination in sport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21810/21]
View answerDiscrimination of any kind has no place in sport or in any other setting in society. An inclusive approach by all parties concerned with the organisation and delivery of sport is essential to addressing this matter and is a cornerstone of the National Sports Policy 2018-2027.
Sport Ireland, which is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport in Ireland, is currently in the process of developing a new Diversity and Inclusion policy. Earlier this month, Sport Ireland launched a survey on its website seeking input from the public into this new policy. I would accordingly encourage everyone to take the time to provide their observations to Sport Ireland to help develop some focused actions and targets in order to promote more inclusion and diversity in sport.
I have arranged for Sport Ireland to provide the Deputy with a comprehensive update on existing inclusion and diversity projects.
I also recently held a meeting with a wide range of anti-discrimination stakeholders to discuss this matter. It is an important issue, which I will continue to pursue with Sport Ireland, the National Governing Bodies of Sport and with other Ministerial colleagues with responsibilities in this area.
113. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the roll-out of the grants for outdoor dining spaces announced in March 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21971/21]
View answerThe development and administration of Fáilte Ireland's Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland and I have asked the agency to provide further information directly in response to the Deputy's question. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
114. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her plans to expand the mobility of collections scheme to support loans from the national collections for display in public buildings across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1426/21]
View answerThe National Cultural Institutions are only able to display a small proportion of their full collections at any time. The purpose of this scheme is to assist in putting items from the National Collections on display to the public on a greater and wider basis. It is hoped especially to facilitate the display of pieces from the National Collections with specific local and regional interest direct to those communities and to facilitate the display of cultural artefacts and relating exhibitions outside urban centres into rural areas.
My Department operates a Mobility of Collections Scheme to support greater regional and local access to material held in the National Collections. The Scheme is designed to fund the transport, cost of insurance and exhibiting costs for pieces from the National Collections to appropriate institutions around the country. The closing date for receipt of applications for funding under the scheme in 2021 was the 23rd April.
Some recent examples of activities supported by the scheme include:
- Waterford Museum of Treasures in the Viking Triangle took loan of an eight-branch chandelier dating to 1790 and originally made in Waterford. The loan was facilitated by the National Museum of Ireland.
- Múseam Chorca Dhuibhne has borrowed from the National Museum of Ireland and will be displaying a gold medieval ring brooch which was originally found locally near Dingle in 2015
- The Hunt Museum held a substantial exhibition of 32 works borrowed from the Crawford Art Gallery's Great Southern Art Collection The exhibition ran from June to September and was called Signals of Change 20th Century Irish Arts Great Southern Collection.
- A total of €9,122 was allocated in 2018 to regional museums and Galway City Museum received €5,110 in 2019.
I welcome the commitment of the cultural institutions to increase access to the national collections through enhanced online exhibitions and the lending of artefacts for regional and local exhibitions. My Department will continue to encourage and provide support for the mobility of collections.
115. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if schools operating under educational training boards can apply to the Sports Capital Programme in a manner which would have scoring criteria applied independently of consideration to grants provided to other schools within the same educational training board region. [21828/21]
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.
Grants are available to voluntary, not-for profit sports clubs, community groups, NGBs, and local authorities. Third level colleges, Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and schools may only apply for funding jointly with sports clubs or organisations.
While sports clubs and community groups are only allowed to make a single application under each round of the programme, this rule does not apply to Local Authorities, National Governing Bodies of Sport, Diocesan Trusts or ETBs who are allowed to make more than one application under each round of the SCEP. In these cases, every application is assessed independently of any other application submitted by the same organisation. A full guide to making an application and details of how applications are assessed can be viewed at www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie .
117. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she has considered proposals for the return of the Book of Kells from Trinity College Dublin to Kells, County Meath; if she has engaged with Meath County Council, Trinity College Dublin and other stakeholders in this regard; if she is supportive of such proposals in view of the potential benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21490/21]
View answerI am aware of the current consideration and abiding interest of the local community that the Book of Kells would be loaned for exhibition at Kells, County Meath. Dating from the 9th century, the book is the greatest surviving treasure of the monastic Irish period. The Book of Kells has been in the care of Trinity College since 1661 and on display there to the public since the 19th century. Currently bound in four volumes, two volumes are normally on display to visitors in the College Library. Loans of the Book from TCD have been very rare and, increasingly in our times, give rise to conservation concerns.
My Department has not been engaged with the parties in relation to the proposed exhibition of the Book in County Meath. This is a matter for specific consideration between the parties rather than an issue of policy development. The primary consideration in this regard is the safeguarding and conservation of one of Ireland's most valuable treasures which is a responsibility in the first instance of the custodians in Trinity College Dublin, having regard to the advice of the professional staff and advisers.
118. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the progress to date of the Night-time Economy Taskforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21960/21]
View answerI have been advised that the work of the Night Time Economy Taskforce is nearing completion and that they expect to conclude their report in the coming weeks.
119. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her plans and the measures that will be put in place to assist the recovery of the tourism and aviation sectors, for example, such as The Gathering after the last recession; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21827/21]
View answerI am committed to ensuring the continued support for the tourism sector through this difficult period and to working towards reopening and recovery and have regular engagement with the sector on these issues. Together with horizontal measures introduced by Government, such as the EWSS and the CRSS, the sector-specific measures I have introduced have been key in helping tourism businesses to survive and employees to remain engaged in the sector. Government has made it clear that there will be no 'cliff-edge' end to supports.
As part of the National Economic Recovery Plan, we will be outlining how we will help people return to work and further support sectors which have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Government will consider more targeted measures to help reboot those sectors, such as tourism, which will face particular challenges during the recovery phase when the economy reopens.
The Recovery Plan submitted to me by the Tourism Recovery Taskforce last year will continue to be an important consideration for me as I evaluate additional measures to support the recovery of the sector. The Recovery Oversight Group will keep me apprised of progress with regard to implementation of the Recovery Plan and the recovery of the sector more generally.
In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, the Recovery Plan includes a recommendation to develop a Global Invitation Programme to stimulate additional international demand. Whilst the tourism sector is still navigating the survival stage of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is also important to ensure that we plan for recovery. Officials within the Department, along with the tourism agencies, are currently examining what type of project would best support the recovery as well as an appropriate timeframe for such an initiative.
With regard to aviation, I should clarify that while the sector is of critical importance in terms of the recovery of our tourism sector, the responsibility for Aviation and recovery in that area falls to my colleague, the Minister for Transport.
120. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the steps she is taking to support the coach tourism sector as a result of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21969/21]
View answerI am aware of the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the coach tourism sector and was pleased to make a fund of €10m available for the Coach Tourism Business Continuity Scheme. The scheme has helped coach tourism businesses to withstand the impact of COVID-19 by providing a direct financial contribution to support their business continuity plans and position them to continue operating through 2021.
I am committed to continuing support for tourism through this difficult period and to working towards reopening and recovery. As part of the National Economic Recovery Plan, Government will be outlining how it will help people return to work and further support sectors which have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Along with my colleagues in Government, we will consider more targeted measures to help reboot those sectors, such as tourism, which will face particular challenges during the recovery phase when the economy reopens.
121. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if her attention has been drawn to the crisis presently facing the charter boat industry here (details supplied); if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that the industry has been decimated due to Covid-19 restrictions and that the sector is unable to fulfil the eligibility criteria of the current financial support schemes; the immediate financial supports she is proposing for the sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21086/21]
View answerI am committed to continuing support for tourism through this difficult period and to working towards reopening and recovery. As part of the National Economic Recovery Plan, Government will be outlining how it will help people return to work and further support sectors which have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. I, along with my colleagues in Government, will consider more targeted measures to help reboot those sectors, such as tourism, which will face particular challenges during the recovery phase when the economy reopens.
In regard to support provided by Fáilte Ireland, I have referred the Deputy's question to the agency for more information and direct reply to the Deputy regarding any available supports for the tourism charter boat sector. Please contact my private office if you have not received a reply within ten working days.
123. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the cultural capital scheme 2019-2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21804/21]
View answerThe Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022 is a €4.7m capital investment scheme for arts and culture centres which opened for applications on 25 October 2019 and closed on 7 January 2020. The scheme will run until 2022 and will focus on enhancing the existing stock of arts and culture centres throughout the country. In line with the Government's action on climate change, this scheme will prioritise projects that reduce an organisation's carbon footprint that will make a real and positive impact on the environment. Projects that provide additional capacity for artists and artistic production particularly in arts centres will also be favoured.
This Scheme builds on the success of the former Arts and Culture Capital Scheme 2016-2018 with funding being made available under the National Development Plan, Project Ireland 2040. Investing in our Culture, Language & Heritage 2018 -2027 sets out the Government’s objectives for capital investment in Ireland’s culture, language and heritage.
The Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022 is constructed from the following Stream:-
- Stream A offered grants up to €50,000 aimed at refurbishment and upgrade of facilities;
- Stream B offered grants from €50,000 to €300,000 for larger enhancement/expansion/ refurbishment projects;
- Stream C offered grants up to €15,000 and was aimed at upgrading visual artists' workspaces and is run by Visual Artists Ireland (VAI) on behalf of the Department. Funding of approximately €79k was announced in October 2020 by VAI for Stream C to 10 applicants;
- Stream D was set up in July 2020 specifically for capital adaptations or equipment necessary to assist arts and culture organisations re-open safely after COVID-19 and prevent its spread. This Stream is up and running and accepting applications and will run for the duration of the crisis. To date 95 SLAs have been issued with grants totalling almost €670,000.
Streams A & B allocations
In December 2020, funding of €255,000 under Streams A and B was announced for 8 organisations. As Streams A and B were under subscribed, some organisations whose applications did not reach a sufficiently high standard for award of a grant were given a second opportunity to submit an upgraded application. The re-submitted applications are currently being assessed and it is hoped to make announcements on these over the coming months.
Stream D is specifically for capital adaptations or equipment necessary to assist arts and culture organisations in re-opening. It is a priority for my Department to examine Stream D applications as they are submitted, with the aim of turning around Service Level Agreements (SLAs) as quickly as possible so that the organisations in question can complete the necessary works to enable them to be ready to re-open.
124. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will contact Dublin City Council to convey her support for a Council-owned community sports facility (details supplied) to be kept as a public facility for the use and the sporting needs of local communities and not sold by the Council to private developers. [21875/21]
View answerAny possible sale of the site referred to by the Deputy is a matter for Dublin City Council in the first instance.
My Department provides grant assistance for sporting facilities through the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) was launched in 2018 to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects. Approximately €86.4m has been allocated to 33 projects to date including an allocation of €918,750 to Dublin City Council towards the overall design cost for the redevelopment of Dalymount Park. It is planned that the new stadium at Dalymount will be a home for both Bohemians FC and Shelbourne FC.
125. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the criteria for application for the €19 million fund announced for state-of-the-art facilities for water based activities; if local authorities were notified of the funding; if so, when; if local authorities were liaised with ahead of the plan; if local authorities were invited to apply for this funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21957/21]
View answerPhase Two of Fáilte Ireland's Platforms for Growth Tourism Investment Programme will fund the development of activity facility centres in selected waterside locations where water-based activities are a key visitor attraction. The development and administration of the scheme, including the setting of eligibility criteria and engagement with Local Authorities, are operational matters for Fáilte Ireland. I have accordingly referred the Deputy's question to the agency for direct reply to the Deputy. Please contact my private office if you have not received a reply within ten working days.
