Written Answers Nos. 290-308
290. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of plans to progress works to address issues with the strand line wall, in Kilkee, County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22711/22]
View answerLocal flooding and coastal erosion issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address. Where necessary, Local Authorities may put forward proposals to relevant central Government Departments, including the Office of Public Works, for funding of appropriate measures depending on the infrastructure or assets under threat.
Under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection 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.opw.ie.
Clare County Council have submitted an application to the OPW on 3rd May 2022 for a study to examine the Strand line seawall, Kilkee. Once the application has been assessed by OPW a response will issue to Clare County Council.
291. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider allowing civil servants who live outside of Dublin the opportunity to continue to work most of the time from home as many hundreds have done since the Covid-19 pandemic began; his views on whether this would be helpful for employees in view of the rising fuel costs, rent costs and rising house prices particularly in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22800/22]
View answerThe experience of the COVID pandemic has had a significant impact on the world of work, with an overnight move by necessity to remote working in various sectors. There have been many positive aspects to this experience for both employers and employees. It has also highlighted certain challenges.
In the case of the Civil Service, remote working will be facilitated into the future on a blended basis. In this context, my Department, in collaboration with Civil Service employers, Trade Unions and Staff Associations, has developed a Blended Working Policy Framework for Civil Service Organisations.
The Framework focuses on the longer-term approach to remote working in the Civil Service and will assist in providing a consistent approach across the wider public service. The Framework supports commitments contained in a number of strategies which this Government has launched. These include, the National Remote Working Strategy, Our Rural Future, the Climate Action Plan and the National Planning Framework.
I, along with Minister of State Smyth, published the Framework on 31 March. The Framework provides broad strategic direction to individual organisations in the Civil Service to develop tailored policies on blended working that are appropriate to their business needs and employees. It is anticipated that Departments and Offices will have these policies completed as soon as possible but no later than end-Q2 2022.
In developing their own policies, Civil Service Departments and Offices will have the flexibility to determine matters such as the proportion of time individual employees work remotely versus onsite and the roles that are suitable for blended working.
Access to blended working by civil servants will be dependent on Departments/Offices having the ability to meet the needs of the business. In general, remote working will not be available to employees on a 100 percent basis, as some physical attendance at workplaces will be required to facilitate face-to-face meetings, training and other key events deemed necessary by the employer. Any requirements an employee may have for flexible working arrangements should be discussed directly with their employer.
The Government announced, on 10 February this year, a suite of measures to mitigate the impact of recent inflation on citizens and assist with rising costs of living. This package builds on the measures announced as part of Budget 2022, which included a range of measures to support citizens including social protection rate increases, increases in tax bands and other affordability measures.
292. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if consideration will be given to extending the recognition payment for front-line workers during Covid-19 to those workers working within the Irish Prison Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22941/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, many workers went above and beyond over the course of the last two years very challenging years. Their continued contribution has been essential to getting us through this difficult time.
After careful consideration, the Government made decisions earlier this year in relation to recognition of these efforts. A national day of recognition and commemoration to recognise the contribution of all workers across the economy was held on the 18 March this year. Furthermore, an additional permanent public holiday will be in place from next year.
The Government took many factors into consideration when coming to a decision in relation to any additional recognition measure for specific sectors and workers. It was agreed that it would be appropriate to further acknowledge the contribution of those working in certain clinical settings in recognition of the fact that they were working in environments where Covid-19 was definitely present and the increased risk associated with that.
Overall, this is a balanced package of measures that benefits workers across the economy, while also recognising in particular the risks faced by certain healthcare workers during this pandemic.
The detailed administrative arrangements and terms and conditions associated with this measure are matters for my colleague the Minister for Health.
293. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the percentage of social media posts made on each of his Departmental social media accounts or the social media accounts of public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit that were exclusively in Irish between 1 May 2021 and 30 April 2022, inclusive; the percentage of same that feature bilingual translations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23054/22]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that during the period specified, there were 814 social media posts by the various official social media accounts of my Department, including the Office of Government Procurement. Of these posts, 6 were posted in Irish, including 1 post that was published in Irish and English.
The information regarding the bodies under the aegis of my Department is set out below.
|
Body* |
Details of Posts |
|
Office of Public Works (OPW) |
2% of which 0.06% bilingual |
|
National Shared Services Office (NSSO) |
1.23% of which 3.7% bilingual |
|
Public Appointments Service (PAS) |
3% of which 0.33% bilingual |
|
Office of the Ombudsman |
2.5% of which 1.60% bilingual |
"The Office of the National Lottery Regulator and the State Laboratory do not have any social media accounts.
294. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the percentage of social media posts made on each of his Departmental social media accounts or the social media accounts of public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit that were exclusively in languages besides English or Irish between 1 May 2021 and 30 April 2022, inclusive; the percentage of same that featured languages besides English or Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23072/22]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the posts from my Department’s social media accounts during the period specified did not include any posts in a language other than Irish or English.
This is also the position with regard to the bodies under the aegis of my Department.
295. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the percentage of social media videos posted on each of his Departmental social media accounts or the social media accounts of public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit included closed captioning and or subtitling between 1 May 2021 and 30 April 2022, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23090/22]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that during the period specified subtitles were included on 40% of the videos posted to the various official social media accounts of my Department, including the Office of Government Procurement. In total, 151 videos were posted, of which 60 included a subtitle function. The information regarding the bodies under the aegis of my Department is set out below.
|
Body |
% of social media videos with subtitles |
|
Office of Public Works (OPW) |
96% |
|
Public Appointments Service (PAS) |
46% |
|
Office of the Ombudsman |
33% |
|
National Shared Services Office (NSSO) |
100% |
*The Office of the National Lottery Regulator and the State Laboratory do not have any social media accounts.
296. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the ways in which Budget 2023 will be delivered in an accessible, inclusive and transparent manner in line with Ireland’s obligations under article 4.3 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23101/22]
View answerThe Equality Budgeting and Well-being Budgeting initiatives are part of the ongoing development of Ireland’s performance framework that also includes the Performance Budgeting and Green Budgeting initiatives, the ongoing development of the Public Spending Code, the Establishment of the Irish Government Economic & Evaluation Service and the Spending Review process.
Within this broader performance framework, the Equality Budgeting and Well-being Framework initiatives are seeking to increase the focus on policy goals and the impact of public policy on people’s lives. In addition to a common focus on policy goals and outcomes, both initiatives also have an explicit focus on people’s experiences and how the impact of public policy can differ between groups of people. These differences have the potential to support and inform the policy process by providing a more refined description of the policy challenge, articulating clearer policy goals and identifying who may benefit from more targeted policy interventions.
Beginning with a pilot programme introduced for the 2018 budgetary cycle, Equality Budgeting is a way of approaching and understanding the budget as a process that embodies long-standing societal choices about how resources are used, rather than simply a neutral process of resource allocation. In practice, this means that equality budgeting attempts to provide greater information on how proposed or ongoing budgetary decisions impact on particular groups in society, thereby integrating equality concerns into the budgetary process.
Equality objectives and indicators are published every year in the REV and the Public Service Performance Report. The initial focus of Equality Budgeting was on gender, following which the initiative was extended to other dimensions of equality including disability and socioeconomic inequality.
In 2019, the OECD published a report on Equality Budgeting in Ireland, providing 12 recommendations on how to drive this initiative forward. Implementation of the report's recommendations is now at an advanced stage.
In line with the OECD recommendation to develop an equalities data strategy, the CSO completed a data audit in cooperation with my Department, to ascertain the availability of public service data that is disaggregated by equality dimension. A report on this audit was published in October 2020.
In order to support the continuing development of performance budgeting in Ireland, the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform has been successful in its application to the EU’s Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP). The project that the EU is funding under this Programme is providing Ireland with the opportunity to work with technical experts from the EU and OECD as well as other international experts in order to take stock of how effectively performance budgeting has been working and to consider future directions for ongoing reform drawing on international best practice. This project also takes cognisance of the other reform initiatives (e.g., equality budgeting, green budgeting, and well-being budgeting).
An inter-departmental group has also been established for Equality Budgeting to facilitate the embedding of the initiative across all Government departments. This group plays a key role in guiding the continued progress of Equality Budgeting.
In Programme for Government – Our Shared Future, the Government set out a commitment to developing a set of well-being indices to create a well-rounded, holistic view of how Irish society is faring. In terms of setting out an overall well-being framework, in July 2021, the Government published the First Report on a Well-being Framework for Ireland. The Report sets out an overarching vision of the Well-being Framework: enabling all our people to live fulfilled lives now and into the future.
As noted in the Expenditure Report 2022, the next phase of the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform's work in this area is to develop an approach for associating public expenditure with the various dimensions of the Well-being Framework. The intention is to develop over time a way of setting out budgetary decisions on the basis of well-being dimensions; an approach that would complement the existing Vote Group approach to presenting such decisions.
297. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of full-time qualified roofers and tilers employed by the OPW as of 1 January 2021 and 1 May 2022, in tabular form. [23102/22]
View answerThe OPW have no full-time qualified roofers and tilers employed nor are they sanctioned posts.
298. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide details of contracts awarded in 2022 by his Department or bodies under his aegis outside the standard procurement process in order to assist the arrival of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23200/22]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that no such contracts were awarded by my Department, including the Office of Government Procurement, during the period specified. This is also the position with regard to the bodies under the aegis of my Department.
299. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department employs persons or firms to deal with public relations; if so, the number of persons employed by his Department to deal with public relations; the names of firms involved; and the total amount spent on public relations by his Department. [23229/22]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department, including the Office of Government Procurement, does not engage external firms or agencies for the purpose set out in the question.
One of the responsibilities of my Department's Press Office is to communicate in a strategic and effective manner my Department’s messages and goals to all stakeholders. The Press Office organises all media engagements and press conferences undertaken by me as Minister and officials of my Department. It is the principal point of contact for the media and prepares and coordinates all press releases and statements for issue to the media.
300. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the proposed changes being mooted in relation to short term lets of self-catering properties; if these changes will include rural holiday areas or be confined to urban areas; the process of consultation that will be involved in any changes planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23478/22]
View answerAction 20.4 of Housing for All, the Government's housing plan to 2030, commits to the development of "new regulatory controls requiring short-term and holiday lets to register with Fáilte Ireland with a view to ensuring that houses are used to best effect in areas of housing need”.
Funding was allocated in Budget 2022 to Fáilte Ireland which has been tasked with the design and implementation of a short term lettings registration system. The agency is currently recruiting staff to work on this project, with the project lead in place. My officials are also working in consultation with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on scoping out the legislative provisions that will be required to underpin such a system with a view to bringing forward legislative provisions in this regard later in 2022.
A stakeholder engagement plan is currently being developed which will be rolled out when the details of the proposed legislation are further advanced.
301. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason that the National Famine Commemoration Day 2022 will not be open to the public (details supplied). [22579/22]
View answerAs I have previously informed the House in my reply to Parliamentary Question No 164 of 4 May 2022, this year's National Famine Commemoration will be held at the National Famine Museum, Strokestown Park, County Roscommon on Sunday, 15 May. The museum will reopen shortly following major refurbishment supported by Fáilte Ireland’s Grants Scheme for Large Tourism Projects.
The Taoiseach, Micheál Martin T.D., will represent the Government at the ceremony which will be broadcast live on the RTÉ News channel.
As was the case in 2020 and 2021 this year's ceremony is not open to the general public. For 2022, this decision was taken in light of the COVID-19 restrictions that were in place when arrangements were being made for the ceremony. Also as noted above the museum itself has not yet reopened to the public and I am grateful to the Irish Heritage Trust and the Callery family for their cooperation in facilitating the holding of this year's ceremony at this historic location.
302. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which it is anticipated to assist the sporting sector by way of grants or other means given the need to assist in their recovery notwithstanding Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22602/22]
View answer304. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which sport and recreation in terms of facilities continues to be supported by her Department in such a way as to assist in their recovery that has to follow notwithstanding Covid-19’s continued prevalence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22605/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 302 and 304 together.
On 13 December 2021, Minister Martin and I announced the allocation of almost €80 million for the sport sector under two separate support programmes.
This included €73.6 million in Covid-19 funding under five separate streams to help sports organisations to recover and grow post-pandemic, support our grassroots networks of clubs and local sports partnerships, and ensure that people of all ages and abilities return to sport and physical activity. The timing of the schemes provides stability and certainty to the sports sector for 2022 as it emerges from Covid-19 restrictions.
This is a very significant investment and builds on the extensive support package of €88.5m provided in 2020 to address the Covid-19 challenges to the sport sector.
A full breakdown of the funding is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/5c21c-major-80m-funding-boost-for-sports-to-recover-grow-and-attract-people-nationwide/
In Budget 2022, the Government announced over €181 million in funding for sport this year, an increase of almost €11 million compared to the 2021 Revised Estimate. The current expenditure budget for Sport Ireland this year is €96 million, an increase of over €4 million from 2021. This funding will enable Sport Ireland to continue to support the sport sector as it recovers from the challenges of Covid and will allow continued grant funding support for sporting bodies through Sport Ireland's range of funding programmes.
Sport Ireland engages with sporting organisations on an ongoing basis and will continue to support the sector in its recovery and development post-pandemic.
From a capital perspective, on 11th February 2022, Minister Martin and I announced a package of €150 million in new capital grants under the latest round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP), in addition to €16.6 million in equipment-only grants which were announced under the same round on 6th August 2021. The overall package of €166.6 million represents the highest level of funding ever provided for any round of the Programme and is indicative of the Government’s commitment to supporting the sporting sector to develop sports facilities throughout the country. My Department is currently finalising the assessment of appeals from unsuccessful applicants. Once the appeal process is complete, a full review of the this 2020 round of the SCEP will be undertaken. The precise timing of the next round of the Programme will be announced once this review is complete.
303. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she continues to support the arts in each county and at national level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22604/22]
View answerMy Department's priorities are set out in its published Statement of Strategy 2021—2023. The overarching goal is to ensure the “sectors recover and grow in a manner that underpins social cohesion and supports strong, sustainable economic growth, with a focus on a number of cross cutting goals of equality, diversity, social inclusion, the Irish language and environmental sustainability”. The Statement of Strategy is available at this link www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/9205f-statement-of-strategy-20212023/.
The Strategy sets out the actions that my Department will take over the coming period, both nationally and regionally, to enrich the quality of life in Ireland through supporting the development of tourism, culture, arts, sports, media and Irish language. In addition to their immense inherent value, these are valued by all of our communities as important resources for social cohesion, individual and community wellbeing and for the presentation of Ireland as an attractive destination for tourism and sustainable inward investment.
In the context of culture, the goal is to “support and develop engagement with, and in arts, culture and creativity by individuals and communities thereby enriching lives through cultural activity; and to promote Ireland’s arts, culture and creativity globally while also coordinating the Decade of Centenaries 2012–2023 commemorations programme.”
As independent State bodies under the aegis of my Department, the Arts Council and Screen Ireland have spatial goals contained in their strategic plans. The Arts Council’s 10 years strategic plan Making Great Art Work sets out five priority areas, each with a distinct goal - 'The Artist’, ‘Public Engagement', ‘Investment Strategy’, ‘Spatial and Demographic Planning’, and ‘Developing Capacity’. Key objectives under Spatial and Demographic Planning involves key strategic partnership with local government and to ensure that national, regional and local capital provision are co-ordinated and sustainable.
Some €371.4 million will be allocated to the arts and culture sector this year including record levels of funding for the Arts Council and Screen Ireland in recent Budgets. The Arts Council maintains the record €130 million funding allocated in 2021 and 2022 allocation for Screen Ireland is €36.7 million, an increase of more than €6.6 million on the 2021 allocation. Some €50 million is allocated for further supports for the live performance sector following on from the successful operation of a number of schemes in 2021, including the live performance support scheme, LPSS, the music and entertainment business assistance scheme, MEBAS, and the events sector Covid support scheme, ESCSS, thereby supporting a successful return to full-scale performances.
€25 million has also been secured to pilot a new basic income guarantee scheme for artists. This measure was the key ask from the Arts and Culture Recovery Task Force and will bring new life and support to the arts and culture sector on a national, regional and local basis.
Funding for the arts and culture sector also includes the following: €4 million to deliver a suite of initiatives proposed by the night-time economy task force; €5 million in additional funding for the national cultural institutions to ensure they continue to provide high-quality services to the public and deliver progress in their ongoing programme of investment; and €5 million to support the 2022 commemorative programme delivering rich and diverse national and local programmes marking the significant centenaries arising in 2022.
Many of these investment programmes under will be delivered through the local authorities.
Earlier this year, I announced the Government’s decision in principle to extend the Creative Ireland Programme until 2027. Creative Ireland was launched in 2017 as an all-of-government culture and wellbeing programme committed to the vision that every person should have the opportunity to realise their full creative potential. Established as a legacy initiative of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme, Creative Ireland collaborates across government and with arts, community and voluntary organisations to deploy creativity as a strategy for wellbeing, social cohesion and economic success. Alongside its very successful Creative Youth initiative, the programme’s Creative Communities partnership with the 31 local authorities, and their delivery of thousands of creative projects, has been key to enabling community-led nationwide engagement. Last week, I announced the details of Cruinniú na nÓg 2022, which will take place on Saturday 11 June 2022 with events in every county. This initiative is being delivered through the network of Creative Ireland Coordinators and local authority Culture and Creativity Teams in each of the 31 local authorities and is supported by RTÉ.
My role as Minister with responsibility for leading the co-ordination of the Decade of Centenaries Programme (2012-2023) is to help ensure that the challenging events of this important and formative period in our history and related themes, are meaningfully, proportionately and sensitively remembered. Last December, I announced funding of €2 million for local authorities in 2022, to support their leading role in developing community-led commemorative activities, for the final phase of the Decade of Centenaries Programme.
I am very cognisant of the challenges faced by the arts, culture and live entertainment industry as the sector recovers post-pandemic. As mentioned earlier, I have provided a €50 million suite of supports for the live performance sector in 2022, to provide performance and employment opportunities for artists and crews, including €5m for Local Authorities to support local artists and performances through the LLPSS (Local Live Performance Support Scheme). This scheme in particular has provided thousands of hours of employment for local musicians, artists and crews.
In response to Covid-19, capital funding towards the pilot Outdoor Public Space Scheme 2021 by my Department is intended to fund local authorities to adapt, equip or otherwise improve public spaces for cultural and events activities, taking account of public health guidelines and of the needs of the local arts community. Outdoor public spaces that can provide year-round use can improve well-being and contribute positively to the public realm.
It is worth noting that much of the nationwide infrastructure of venues and arts centres were initiated and funded by local authorities. These centres are also supported through capital schemes largely operated by my Department. Projects supported included the provision of new integrated art centres, theatres and studio space and the refurbishment of existing performance spaces. Support provided to these arts centres by local authorities and the Arts Council is critical to ensuring that a stable and vibrant network can be maintained. Capital funding schemes operated by my Department continue to be focused on enhancing this existing stock of arts and culture centres throughout the country.
305. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she and her Department can assist tourism-related businesses that were negatively affected by Covid-19 to the extent of their closure or dramatic reduction in business; if an audit has been carried out of the number of such businesses affected throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22606/22]
View answer306. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of hotels and or restaurants that have permanently closed arising from Covid-19 in Dublin city and throughout the country; the extent to which it is proposed to offer assistance towards their reopening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22607/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 305 and 306 together.
In Budget 2022, I secured €67.6 million in additional funding for tourism, thereby bringing the overall tourism services budget for 2022 to €288 million. This included €50 million funding for Tourism Business Continuity schemes.
The Tourism Business Continuity Schemes for 2022 are managed by Fáilte Ireland and will support businesses across the tourism sectors that need it most urgently. They will take into account the Government funding that has already been received and the wider context of the horizontal supports provided by Government. The details of the Schemes are as follows:
- The Strategic Tourism Transport Business Continuity Scheme 2022
- The Strategic Ireland-Based Inbound Agents Tourism Business Continuity Scheme 2022
- The Attractions and Activity Tourism Operators Business Continuity Scheme 2022
- The Tourism Accommodation Providers Business Continuity Scheme 2022
There was a €35 million increase in the Tourism Marketing Fund for 2022 to support the delivery of a marketing strategy to help restore inbound tourism to Ireland.
The Budget also included €36.5 million in capital funding for tourism product development for the delivery of enhanced visitor experiences in line with the objectives of the National Development Plan 2021-2030.
Funding was also provided for a range of industry initiatives including a domestic marketing and festival campaign, investment in digital, skills development and staff retention. The tourism sector also benefited from a range of cross-government horizontal measures.
The extension of the reduced 9% VAT rate for the hospitality and tourism sectors, which was announced today by the Minister for Finance, will give the sectors time to rebuild and consolidate after a harrowing two years under Covid-19. The extension will promote business survival and support employment in the industry.
As for the impact of Covid-19 on hotels or restaurants, no specific audit of affected tourism businesses has been carried out; however, according to the Central Statistic Office's recent publication - Business signs of Life series Two: Business Survival 2020 to 2021 - one in ten (10.4%) enterprises trading prior to Covid-19 were at risk of closing at the end of 2021 while Fáilte Ireland advises that there are more hotels on their register in 2022 than in 2021.
307. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she can promote the various historic houses or sites throughout the country in such a way as to develop increased interest in Ireland’s culture; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22608/22]
View answerThe Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) has responsibility for heritage which includes historic properties and recently published Heritage Ireland 2030 which is Ireland’s national heritage plan and available at this link www.gov.ie/en/publication/778b8-heritage-ireland-2030/. I understand that Heritage Ireland 2030 is a framework for the protection, conservation, promotion and management of Ireland’s heritage for the next decade and beyond. Further detail of the plan, its background, public and stakeholder consultation and relevant agencies such as the Heritage Council can be also found at this web page.
The Office of Public Works is responsible for managing maintaining and presenting some of Ireland’s iconic heritage properties, including two World Heritage Sites, 780 National Monuments and over 2,000 acres of gardens and parklands. Details are available on its HeritageIreland website at this link www.heritageireland.ie/
From my own Department’s perspective, in 2019 and 2020, I provided funding through the all-of-government Creative Ireland Programme based in my department to the Historic Houses of Ireland (HHI) – a representative organisation for Ireland's privately owned historic houses and castles. This support enabled HHI to survey their membership and explore/appraise the creative potential of historic houses focusing on:
the potential for historic houses that enable public access and host events, support local economies/communities, and also contribute to a sense of wellbeing;
how to promote historic houses as "creative spaces" as part of a wider creative ecosystem including opportunities for local artists, enterprises and cultural groups; and
how historic houses and their associated grounds could be used as centres for learning and educational initiatives for children.
In 2020, I was delighted to see a very comprehensive report published by HHI entitled Historic Irish Houses – A Creative Reappraisal (available at www.creativeireland.gov.ie/app/uploads/2020/12/HHI-CI-Report.pdf). I immediately supported a workshop organised by the Creative Ireland Programme and HHI which sought to foreground the opportunities for historic house owners in relation to the hosting of micro-festivals. More recently, I am providing funding to HHI through the Creative Ireland Programme to support Cruinniú na nÓg 2022 which is taking place on 11 June. This will see HHI deliver Big House Inside Out – a series of free, fun, creative events for children and young people at selected Irish historic houses. I very much enjoyed launching Cruinniú na nÓg 2022 at Killruddery House last week where I saw first-hand the wonderful opportunities that exist for privately-owned historic houses to become focal points for cultural, creative and community activities throughout Ireland.
In addition, in 2021, my Department supported Other Voices to deliver a series of on line concerts as part of a programme entitled Courage. These included concerts at Kilkenny Castle, Kilruddery House, Swords Castle, Glenveagh National Park and Muckross House. While the primary objective of this programme was to support artists and promote wellbeing during the Covid pandemic, these concerts reached a large international audience and had the ancillary benefit of promoting Ireland's built heritage globally.
308. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she and her Department continue to monitor developments in the media with particular reference to the need to ensure that local print media and radio stations are not endangered by unregulated entities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22609/22]
View answerI recognise the essential role that local print media and the local and regional radio sector plays in sharing reliable and relevant local news and bringing communities together. The media sector in Ireland, which is a vital element of our democracy and society as a whole, is undergoing fundamental change.
The local media sector has faced a fall in revenue arising from COVID-19, but also faces longer term challenges as a result of changing patterns of media consumption, technology and shifts in advertising revenue to online services.
Since I assumed formal responsibility for the media sector in September 2020, I have met key stakeholders including the NewsBrands Ireland, Local Ireland, and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).
In relation to the local radio sector, I have received quarterly reports from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) analysing the impact of COVID-19 on the commercial radio sector and met with the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI).
Support for the production of audiovisual and audio content for Irish audiences is provided through the Sound and Vision Scheme, which is established under the Broadcasting Act 2009 and administered by the BAI. The Scheme is funded through the allocation of 7% of net licence fee receipts per annum.
- under section 156 of the Broadcasting Act 2009, I as Minister may allocate additional Exchequer funding to the Sound and Vision Scheme. In this regard, I recently announced €10.5 million in additional funding to the Scheme, which will support programming on both radio and television. This additional funding has been allocated as follows:
- €5 million for climate change and climate action content production;
- €2 million for live music broadcasting productions;
- €2 million for Irish language programming; and,
- €1.5 million extra for general Sound and Vision scheme projects
This Government is committed to putting in place a framework which will enable a sustainable future for a vibrant, diverse and independent media sector, encompassing print, audiovisual, radio and online.
A key element in this was the establishment of the Future of Media Commission, which was chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith. The Commission's task was a complex one, with a remit to address the many issues of concern for the entire media industry. As a result, the Commission’s report and the wide ranging recommendations it contains have required careful and detailed thought.
The detailed consideration of the Future of Media Commission’s report by An Taoiseach, myself and other key Ministers is nearing conclusion, and it will be brought to Government for consideration in the coming weeks.
As regards the regulation of online services and audiovisual media, the Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Bill 2022, which is currently at Committee Stage in Seanad Éireann, will establish a multi-person Media Commission (to be known as Coimisiún na Meán), dissolve the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), and establish frameworks for the regulation of audiovisual media services and online safety. This will include the regulation of video sharing platforms and designated online services. Upon its establishment, An Coimisiún will fulfil the role currently played by the BAI in licensing sound broadcasting services such as local radio stations.
