Written Answers Nos. 233-247
233. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of an application for a flood relief scheme submitted by (details supplied); and if the scheme will be approved as a matter of urgency. [10636/22]
View answerLocal flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address. All Local Authorities may carry out flood mitigation works, using either their own resources, or by applying for funding under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme.
Under this scheme, applications are considered for projects that are estimated to cost not more than €750,000 in each instance. Funding of up to 90% of the cost is available for approved projects. Applications are assessed by the OPW having regard to the specific economic, social and environmental criteria of the scheme, including a cost benefit ratio and having regard to the availability of funding for flood risk management. Full details of this scheme are available on www.gov.ie/opw.
An application was submitted by Kilkenny County Council under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for a project at Ardaloo, Jenkinstown. OPW has responded to Kilkenny County Council with a request for additional information and has offered to meet staff from Kilkenny County Council to discuss its application.
234. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of engagements, including online meetings, webinars, briefings and in-person meetings he or officials from his Department have had with the National Women’s Council of Ireland from 1 January 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10582/22]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below.
|
Date(s) of engagement |
Format of engagement |
Attended by |
Purpose of engagement |
|
|
2021 |
12/03/202120/07/2021 19/11/2021 |
Online meetings |
Officials |
Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group |
|
06/10/2021 |
Online meeting |
Minister and Officials |
Pre-Budget Meeting |
|
|
2020 |
13/07/2020 17/12/2020 |
Online meetings |
Officials |
Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group |
|
14/09/2020 |
Online meeting |
Minister and Officials |
Pre-Budget Meeting |
|
|
2019 |
08/02/201905/04/2019 17/06/2019 23/09/2019 27/11/2019 |
Meetings |
Officials |
Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group |
|
09/05/2019 |
Meeting |
Minister and Officials |
Pre-Budget Meeting |
235. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he or the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works intend to visit the Dún Aengus fort in Árann in 2022 to see at first hand this extraordinary site and the lack of parking and other facilities serving the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10656/22]
View answerI would be happy to visit Árann to visit Dún Aengus to see the site and I look forward to doing so, Diary permitting, before the summer recess.
236. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the shared island approach to arts and culture; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10434/22]
View answerThe Government’s Shared Island initiative led by the Department of the Taoiseach aims to harness the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement to enhance cooperation, connection and mutual understanding on the island and engage with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future. It involves:
- working with the Northern Ireland Executive and the British Government to address strategic challenges faced on the island of Ireland,
- further developing the all-island economy, deepening North/South cooperation, and investing in the North West and border regions
- fostering constructive and inclusive dialogue and a comprehensive programme of research to support the building of consensus around a shared future on the island.
Through this process the government will deliver existing commitments and develop a new generation of cross-border projects to achieve a more connected, sustainable and prosperous island, through all-island partnership in the years ahead.
I welcome the fact that the funding priorities of the Reconciliation Fund Strategy 2021-2024 at the Department of Foreign Affairs will seek to support projects aimed at repairing issues which lead to division, conflict, and barriers to a deeply reconciled and peaceful society and/or building a strong civil society that encompasses all communities. I note that the Fund encompasses applications that use any of a wide number of approaches to bring people from different backgrounds together including amongst other things arts, culture, and sports.
I am particularly keen that the arts, culture and creativity represent a key pillar in the Shared Island initiative. I believe they can play a unique role in connecting people and communities, broadening civic connections across the different communities of this island so that we have more opportunities to understand each other, and supporting a vibrant and diverse cultural and creative sector across the island. To that end, I look forward to further exploring artistic and cultural exchange across the island in the years ahead through a wide range of cross-border initiatives in arts, culture, music, film, and through my Department's Creative Ireland Programme.
237. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the timeframe to progress the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10435/22]
View answerThe Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Bill will 2022, among other things, provide for the dissolution of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, the establishment of a multi-person Media Commission, including an Online Safety Commissioner, and the establishment of a regulatory framework for online safety, and transpose the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
On 12 January 2022, the Government approved the publication of the OSMR Bill as drafted by the Office of the Attorney General. The Bill was subsequently initiated in Seanad Éireann on 25 January 2022 and completed Second Stage in the Seanad on 22 February 2022. The enactment of the Bill is a Programme for Government commitment and I am working to ensure its swift progress through the Houses of the Oireachtas. I am aiming, with the co-operation of Members from both Houses, to complete all Stages in the Dáil and Seanad before the Summer Recess.
238. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the Sport Ireland winter initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10430/22]
View answerThe Winter Initiative is a rolling programme of activities and initiatives that aims to get people back to sport and increase participation. The programme has run successfully over the past few months, with a wide range of activities taking place throughout the sports sector. It has provided National Governing Bodies of Sport with a strong platform to launch their Autumn and Winter Programmes and will continue up to the end of March.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that at the last count there were over 700 events occurring under the Winter Initiative. 66 National Governing Bodies of Sport are participating, as are all 29 Local Sports Partnerships. Details on the events that are taking place can be found on the website of Sport Ireland, and through the respective organisations running the events.
It is my intention that a similar programme will be run next Winter and my Department and Sport Ireland will commence planning in that regard in the coming months.
239. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the national swimming strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10431/22]
View answerInitial preparatory planning work has been undertaken by my Department in regard to a national swimming strategy. It is intended to establish a working group in the near future to take forward the detailed work of preparing a national strategy, with a view to its completion and publication this year.
240. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the progress that has been made towards the development of An Ghaeltacht Ghlas, the Green Gaeltacht as a key component of the Údarás na Gaeltachta Strategic Plan 2021-2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10429/22]
View answerÚdarás na Gaeltachta is currently preparing its strategy for An Ghaeltacht Ghlas, which will seek to identify an overarching view around climate action from the Gaeltacht perspective, coupled with distinct supporting actions, and an advisory working group.
The strategy will take into account various demographics and sectors, including industry, community development, youth and others. In the meantime, the organisation is implementing a range of actions around climate change:
Údarás na Gaeltachta is leading the development of a community-owned solar photo-voltaic renewable energy project in the Donegal Gaeltacht of Gaoth Dobhair, where the public consultation phase began last week.
An tÚdarás commissioned a feasibility study in 2020 to assess the suitability of an Údarás-owned site adjacent to Páirc Ghnó Dobhair (Gaoth Dobhair Business Park) for installation of a solar PV energy project as a means of reducing the Park's dependence on fossil fuel derived energy. The study indicated that the site would be suitable for a ground-mounted solar PV project and Údarás is currently working with Community Development organisations in Gaoth Dobhair around the development of a 5 MW project.
In An Cheathrú Rua, in the Galway Gaeltacht, a community-driven photovoltaic project recently acquired grid connection notice from the ESB, with the 140 KW project, being driven by Comharchumann Mhic Dara, contributing to the greening of An tÚdarás’s business park in An Cheathrú Rua and creating the first action around the Gaeltacht village’s stated aim of becoming a carbon-neutral peninsula. As part of the project, electric charging points for cars were also installed in the business park. The Comharchumann plan to undertake phase two of the PV solar project on the roofs of buildings in the business park in 2022 and are also looking at other possibilities in relation the development of green energy projects in the area.
The recent announcement by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of a €25m investment in a deepwater harbour in Ros an Mhíl has come following the launch of Údarás na Gaeltachta’s report, showing the possibility of creating 900 Gaeltacht jobs in the offshore wind energy sector through the development of Ros an Mhíl as a wind energy hub.
Currently, An tÚdarás is in the midst of an assessment of its commercial property portfolio, around energy efficiency and the potential for roof-top energy generation.
Údarás na Gaeltachta is also working with Gaeltacht communities around biodiversity and tree-planting projects, with a recent pilot rewilding programme completed in boglands in Iorras Aithneach, with a view to developing the boglands to act as carbon sinks. As part of the Bealach Séanadh Mhacha Project, Údarás na Gaeltachta have secured funding to prepare and implement a bio-diversity plan for the Séanadh Mhacha area. The plan will be designed to protect all biological systems and to minimise the impact of drivers on all species and habitats in the project area.
Údarás na Gaeltachta, in conjunction with Galway County Council and Comhairle Ceantar na nOileáin, is proposing to develop a Low Carbon Sustainable Centre of Excellence in the Connemara Region. The centre will house the following projects:
- A Civic Amenity/Recycling Centre
- A low carbon Retrofit Training and NZEB Training Centre
- Development of an Incubation and Innovation centre for the promotion of low carbon policies and renewables.
In line with the Climate Action Plan 2019, it is proposed that the centre in Casla will endeavour to transform the community’s approach to waste, this is in line with modern, circular economy principles. This will involve a change of mind-set trough education and promotion of recycling thus ensuring the protection of our natural and man-made resources and the environment.
The planned development of Páirc na Mara - a low carbon, green energy efficient innovation & marine park - will be a flagship project and will play a significant role in the local master plan by including ongoing research and development in delivering a low carbon and energy efficient project on site.
An tÚdarás is working closely with the Lárionad Acmhainní Nádúrtha project in Donegal, which has recently acquired RRDF funding around the development of a biodiversity hub for the north-west on an Údarás’s site in Cill Ulta.
Údarás na Gaeltachta provided an online training course for development organisations in the Gaeltacht areas in 2020 and 2021. The training included awareness programmes and thematic workshops in relation to specific development sectors. One of the sectors covered was green energy and community renewable energy initiatives. This has resulted in a number of community organisations' participation in renewable energy projects. Information on training, education and funding opportunities in this sector is provided to community organisations on a regular basis by the Community Development Unit in Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Údarás na Gaeltachta is continuing to work in collaboration with Comharchumann Fuinneamh Oileán Árann on a number of projects . For example, by organising online workshops in relation to raising community energy awareness and also by providing mentoring services to a number of community development organisations in relation to developing plans for renewable energy projects in their respective areas.
241. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if grants or financial supports are available from her Department to support music classes for in local communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10531/22]
View answerThe Creative Ireland Programme, led by my Department, is an all-of-government, culture-based initiative that emphasises the importance of creativity for individual, community and national well-being. Under this programme the Creative Youth Plan was published in December 2017 and aims to increase the opportunities for engagement by children and young people in artistic and cultural creativity, helping them to discover and develop new skills and talents that enhance their development and growth, and add to the richness of their overall learning experience. The Plan has initiatives both targeted at schools and out-of-school settings, as well as providing teachers with CPD.
Among key initiatives for schools under Creative Youth are Creative Schools which is led by the Arts Council in partnership with my Department as well as the Departments of Education, and Children and Youth Affairs. Creative Schools provides tangible supports for schools to place arts and creativity at the centre of school life. Schools participate in the initiative over a two year period and are provided with access to a “Creative Associate” and funding. Further information on Creative Schools can be accessed via the following link www.artscouncil.ie/creative-schools/
Under the Creative Communities strand of the Creative Ireland Programme, my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage provides an annual funding allocation to each of the 31 local authorities to enable them to implement their individual Culture and Creativity Strategies 2018-2022. These strategies were developed following extensive local public consultation, and are unique to each local authority reflecting the strategic priorities identified by the local community to deploy creativity for wellbeing, social cohesion and economic development. Many of these strategies include priorities that seek to enhance access, participation and engagement with culture and creativity. This funding provided to local authorities can result in the organisation of music-based creative projects such as Making Music with Sonamus, a tuition programme by Wicklow County Council in partnership with Music Network offering participants over 55 an opportunity to experience and learn an array of musical styles and techniques from the combined musical backgrounds of Sonamus members
The Department also provides funding to support Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ), which is the largest group involved in the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music both at community and national level. Annual funding is provided to CCÉ for its work in the protection and promotion of Irish traditional music and culture. They promote traditional music and dance in the following ways:
Thousands of children and young people develop their musical performance (instrumentation and vocal) skills and appreciation skills at these mentored weekly classes, where the emphasis is oral transmission in an appropriate context. Over 1,500 Classes are delivered weekly in community settings.
With over 400 branches, 18 centres, 7 Regional centres and 11 Outreach centres throughout Ireland, Britain, North America and worldwide, a wide variety of formal and informal performance opportunities are provided through the Comhaltas structures and Centres. Each Centre has a local performance group which provides appropriate opportunities for young traditional artists (aged 16 upwards) to participate in formal stage performances.
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann which is run by CCÉ. Before the pandemic it had record attendance of 500,000 annually with over 6,000 participating in its competitions. The Deputy may be interested to note that I recently approved support of €100,000 towards the organisational costs of Fleadh Cheoil 2022 in Mullingar. The Fleadh Cheoil is one of the world’s largest annual celebration of Irish music, language, song and dance. It attracts in the region of 500,000 visitors to the host town during the period of the festival, with an estimate of more than 20% coming from abroad. This event provided many opportunities for children and young people and their families to celebrate traditional music and dance.
My Department provides funding for the purchase of musical instruments and equipment by way of the Music Capital Scheme. Funding is provided to a wide range of performing groups and talented musicians. Recipients have in the past included brass bands, pipe bands and marching bands as well as community organisations. The Scheme is managed by Music Network on behalf of my Department.
Ealaín na Gaeltachta Teo., a joint venture between Údarás na Gaeltachta and the Arts Council, is the organisation responsible for promoting the development of the contemporary and the traditional arts, including music, in the Gaeltacht. For the current year, the organisation is in receipt of €1.2m from the partnership between the Arts Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta. In order to further promote and develop the language based arts in the Gaeltacht and to specifically support the language planning process and the Policy on Gaeltacht Education, my Department has provided additional funding almost €1.5m to Ealaín na Gaeltachta enabling the organisation to further support and create opportunities for the artistic community, especially the among the youth of the Gaeltacht.
242. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of engagements, including online meetings, webinars, briefings and in-person meetings she or officials from her Department have had with the National Women’s Council of Ireland from 1 January 2019 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10586/22]
View answerNeither I nor officials from my Department have had any engagements, including online meetings, webinars, briefings and in-person meetings, with the National Women’s Council of Ireland during the period specified by the Deputy.
The Deputy may wish to note that my Department is represented on the Inter-Departmental Strategy Committee for the National Strategy on Women and Girls chaired by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the membership of which includes includes representatives of the National Women's Council of Ireland.
243. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the consultation process for the basic income scheme for artists has been completed; when the 2,000 or more artists will receive the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10594/22]
View answerThe Basic Income for the Arts Pilot scheme will run over a three year period and the intention is to research the impact a basic would have on artists and creatives work patterns by providing the opportunity to focus on their practice, and to minimise the loss of skills from the arts as a result of the pandemic and to contribute to the sectors gradual regrowth post pandemic.
Stakeholder engagement has been core to the policy development process and this has included a stakeholder forum on 15 December 2021, where over 150 participants from 50 artists and arts workers resource and representative bodies came together to discuss the proposal. Following that forum I held a public consultation throughout the month of January. The purpose of the consultation was to ensure that the general public, artists, and those working in the arts and culture sector have the opportunity to contribute to policy development for the pilot scheme and to offer suggestions from their experiences as artists, arts workers, and members of resource organisations on key issues such as the scheme's objectives, eligibility criteria, supporting emerging artists and participant responsibilities.
The public consultation closed three weeks ago and my Department received a significant number of submissions, reflecting the high level of interest in this new policy intervention. A report on the consultation is currently being prepared which will be published in the coming weeks.
Given the significant level of interest the Deputy will appreciate that I need to take sufficient time to adequately consider the feedback of the sector through the consultation as I finalise the eligibility criteria for the pilot scheme. Such a significant policy intervention takes time to operationalise and as that process in ongoing I have not yet finalised a launch date but I expect to make an announcement in the coming weeks.
244. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the requisites for an Irish speaker within the public service; if an honours leaving certificate in Irish constitutes the same given the announcement recently with regard to a proportion of jobs being allocated to Irish speakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10609/22]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 was signed into law by the President of Ireland on 22 December 2021. This legislation provides for a radical overhaul of the way we plan for the provision of high quality Irish language public services for the Irish speaking community. This is a long-term project involving comprehensive research and the development of a National Plan for the Provision of Irish-Medium Public Services. A statutory Advisory Committee will be established for this purpose and progress will be reported to Government on an annual basis. The Act sets targets that will challenge us all in Government, in particular the target of 20 per cent of new recruits to the state system being competent in Irish by the end of 2030.
In this regard, Section Alt 18C. (1)(b)(iii) of the amended Act sets out that the Advisory Committee shall provide advice to public bodies as to the level of competence required for Irish-speaking positions in the public service, having regard to the system of standards known as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
This new regime provides that the Minister will publish, following consultation with Government Departments and agencies, a list of standards to be adhered to by those Departments and agencies when delivering services through the medium of Irish, including the level of competence in the Irish language required by relevant staff of the public body.
This Act provides a clear and significant message to the Irish speaking community that the language is not only valued by the State as a living modern European language and as an intrinsic element of our cultural heritage, but that it also has a significant economic benefit for its speakers.
245. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will publish the report of the Future of the Media Commission; and if she will engage with the appropriate sectoral committee regarding its contents (details supplied). [10638/22]
View answerA vibrant, diverse and independent media sector is vital for not only our democracy but our cultural development. However, it is a sector that is undergoing fundamental change and faces significant challenges.
Acknowledging both the importance of the sector and the rapidly changing landscape in which it operates, the Programme for Government committed to the establishment of the Future of Media Commission.
Chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith, the Commission was tasked with considering the future of print, broadcast, and online media in a platform agnostic fashion; and the potential measures required to ensure that our public service media continues to play its essential role within our society for the foreseeable future. After extensive engagement, the Commission completed its work and submitted its report to the Taoiseach and myself in the Autumn.
The Report’s recommendations are far-reaching and will inform media and broadcasting policy in the coming years. As such, they have required careful consideration, particularly in light of a range of other complex and inter-related issues that will require decisions by Government in the wider media and digital space. These include the recently published national digital strategy Harnessing Digital – The Digital Ireland Framework and Ireland’s approach to the implementation of the forthcoming Digital Services Act. It is intended that the report will be brought to Government for consideration shortly, after which it will be published.
The Committee has been informed of the current position and will continue to be updated on developments.
246. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she expects the tourism industry to recover as Covid-19 recedes; if inflationary tendencies have been detected in the industry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10749/22]
View answerFáilte Ireland estimates that in 2022, if COVID-19 remains under control, the domestic tourism market could return to 2019 levels. This estimate is based on the strong performance of the domestic market during the pandemic and the pent-up demand that remains in the market. Furthermore, the overseas market could return to approximately 70% of 2019 levels based on the air access outlook for 2022.
As the Deputy will be aware, in Budget 2022, I secured a record level of funding for tourism. This funding will help to address short-term survival-related concerns and also enable recovery across industry as we reopen to international tourism and begin to transition to a more sustainable future. The funding allocated to the tourism agencies in 2022 includes €50 million for further business continuity support for strategic tourism businesses and a €35 million increase in the Tourism Marketing Fund as well as €36.5 million in capital funding for tourism product development.
As part of its marketing strategy, Tourism Ireland has established a recovery framework which will be underpinned by an extensive programme of promotional activity throughout 2022. The organisation has a flexible, three-phase plan to RESTART, REBUILD and ultimately REDESIGN demand. Over €80 million will be invested in the programme in 2022 which will allow Tourism Ireland to ramp up its campaigns in key international markets.
This year, Fáilte Ireland is doubling its domestic marketing investment to €10 million to drive domestic demand including short breaks all year round. Fáilte Ireland will also deliver four new Regional Tourism Strategies, setting out a 10-year vision and 5-year action plan for each region, and aim to ensure tourism businesses are visible, searchable and most importantly bookable through its "Digital that Delivers" programme.
I can assure the Deputy that I am continuing to work closely with the sector on recovery. The Tourism Recovery Oversight Group, which I appointed in 2020, continues to oversee the implementation of the Tourism Recovery Plan and monitor the sector’s recovery more generally. This Group reports to me on a regular basis and its work will inform future policy considerations as I continue to work alongside my Government colleagues to support the tourism sector over the coming year and beyond.
There is no doubt that the global pandemic has left our tourism sector in a weakened state but we have an opportunity now to address sustainable tourism development in a more meaningful way during the recovery and rebuilding phase following this crisis. In line with our Programme for Government commitments, officials within the Department have initiated the development of a new national tourism policy which will seek to mainstream sustainability. The development of this new policy will set out a path for the coming years which will support a sustainable recovery and subsequent re-growth in the sector.
Regarding the second part of the Deputy’s question, as the Deputy will be aware the Government is acutely aware of the increase in consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices. On 11 February 2022, the Government announced a support package totalling €505 million to mitigate the rise in the cost of living that is currently being experienced. It is hoped that measures such as these will help to alleviate and mitigate the current inflationary effect on the overall economy.
247. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she and her Department propose to offer any further incentives to the tourism sector while keeping in mind the necessity not to contribute to inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10750/22]
View answerIn Budget 2022, I secured an additional allocation of €67.6 million for tourism, thereby bringing the overall tourism services budget to €288 million. This funding will enable the tourism agencies to assist in the recovery of the sector.
The funding allocated to the tourism agencies in 2022 includes €50 million for further business continuity support for strategic tourism businesses and a €35million increase in the Tourism Marketing Fund as well as €36.5 million in capital funding for tourism product development.
My priority is to ensure the survival and recovery of the tourism sector and I am continuing to engage closely with the wider tourism and hospitality sector, in close consultation with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland in this regard.
