Written Answers Nos. 567-583
567. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if there are any circumstances under which a sports club without ownership of land can access grants; and if she will outline these circumstances [40817/22]
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. Full details of the Programme, including a copy of the latest "Guide to Making an Application" (which sets out the terms and conditions of the scheme), are available at the following link: - www.gov.ie/en/service/d13385-sports-capital-programme/#introduction
It should be noted that applications can be submitted by any sports club for sports equipment even in cases where they do not own land. In addition, clubs who do not own land or have a registered lease can apply for capital funding of up to €50,000 provided the owner of the land confirms that he/she has no intention of taking the facility from the club for a minimum of 5 years.
Any local authority can also apply for funding under the SCEP and these applications can relate to improvements to facilities which are used by various sports clubs.
In relation to future rounds of the SCEP, my Department is now undertaking a full review of all aspects of the 2020 round of the SCEP and any recommendations arising will be reflected in the terms and conditions of the next round. The precise timing of this next round will be announced once this review is complete and the full terms and conditions will be published well in advance of the deadline for submissions.
568. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if information will be provided on any files in the National Archive that relate directly to a person (details supplied). [40822/22]
View answerThe National Archives is open to members of the public to visit and to undertake research free of charge.
Many of the archives held in the National Archives are included in its on-line catalogue that can be searched for documents containing relevant references. It is available at this link: www.nationalarchives.ie/search-the-online-catalogue/simple#!/
As far as can be ascertained, the person to which the Deputy refers, died in 1920. I understand that a small number of archives are held by the National Archives that relate directly to the individual concerned. As the person died before the foundation of the State, material may also be available in National Archives at Kew in Surrey, the Archives Department in UCD, the Military Archives or local archives. It is possible that there may also be Compensation (Personal Injuries) records held by the Department of Finance.
569. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her views on artifacts and items that were removed from Ireland without consent and are currently on display or in storage overseas and the actions she intends to take on same. [40823/22]
View answerIn keeping with international best practice, the National Cultural Institutions have carefully developed policies in relation to the care and management of the national collections. Increasingly in recent decades, the NCIs' curatorial responsibilities require a consideration of the ethical implications and the evolving sensitivities regarding the acquisition and exhibition of historic artefacts. The exploitation of peoples abroad or the expropriation of their cultural artefacts is a profound concern, whether it occurred in the past or in more recent times, and it is a concern of which the National Cultural Institutions are acutely aware.
Regarding the export of Irish historic artefacts, the National Monuments Act 1930 to 2014 and the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997 provide for the licensing of such activity. The National Museum of Ireland actively follows up on reports of unlicensed export of archaeological objects from the State, on behalf of the State, and has been involved in the successful retrieval of such material. Important collections of archaeological objects, recovered through unlicensed metal detecting and subsequently illicitly exported from the jurisdiction, have been retrieved by the NMI working in cooperation with law enforcement agencies.
Prior to the enactment of the relevant legislation, and as is the case in many countries, objects from Ireland were often legitimately acquired by antiquarian collectors and ultimately entered the collections of other museums through onward sale or donation. This type of activity dates from a time which predates the current legislation which regulates the discovery, possession and sale of archaeological objects.
Many Irish objects that belong to collections in overseas museums have been loaned to museums in Ireland for specific exhibitions. The NMI maintains close links with museums that hold Irish artefacts and has often borrowed such material for exhibitions. The institutions collaborate and share research and, in many cases, share the NMI's ethos, that is to care for, protect, and to research and disseminate knowledge in relation to collections that are in its care.
Two recent examples are objects on long-term renewable loan to the NMI, currently on display in the Treasury exhibition at the NMI in Kildare Street:
- the house-shaped shrine from the River Shannon at Keeloge Ford, in the Collection of the National Museums of Scotland
- the Aghadoe Crozier, found in Co. Kerry but in the collection of the Statens Historiska Museum, Stockholm.
570. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if consideration has been given to bringing forward the release of 1926 census data given the current interest in history. [40825/22]
View answerDetails of the 1926 Census have been published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in 10 volumes as follows:-
- Volume 1 - Population, area and valuation of each DED and each larger Unit of Area
- Volume 2 - Occupations
- Volume 3 - Religion and birthplaces
- Volume 4 - Housing
- Volume 5 - Ages, orphanhood and conjugal conditions
- Volume 6 - Industrial status
- Volume 7 - Industries
- Volume 8 - Irish language
- Volume 9 - Dependency
- Volume 10 - General Report
The CSO is responsible for the gathering of census data in Ireland. All of this information can be viewed on the CSO website at the following link: Census 1926 Reports - CSO - Central Statistics Office.
Sections 33 and 35 of the Statistics Act 1993 allow for the release of information gathered by a Census that relates directly or indirectly to an identifiable person, 100 years after the date that the census was taken. As the 1926 Census was taken on 18 April 1926, this personal information can be made available from 18 April 2026. This information will be made available after that date, subject to GDPR concerns relating to people still living. Making the details of individuals and households from the 1926 Census available digitally will require a significant volume of work to collate, conserve, index and digitise the original census returns. That work will take several years to complete and I have provided a capital allocation of €5 million for that purpose. Officials from my Department, which includes the National Archives, have carried out preliminary examinations of the work required.
571. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if consideration has been given to an extension of the Decade of Centenaries perhaps under a new name given the significance of events which occurred from 1924 to 1934. [40827/22]
View answerThe Decade of Centenaries Programme is due to end in 2023. My immediate priority is to ensure this current period of commemoration, which is complex and challenging, is remembered with an appropriate meaningful, proportionate and sensitive programme, which recognises the legitimacy of all traditions, and values mutual respect and historical authenticity.
Any potential extension of the Programme will be considered in consultation with relevant stakeholders at the appropriate time.
572. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to correspondence received from her Department (details supplied); if her Department is considering measures to improve consumers’ rights in such situations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40869/22]
View answerWhile I have no plans to introduce specific legislative provisions as outlined by the Deputy, I have asked Fáilte Ireland to provide an update to the Deputy on the matter raised.
573. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of an application pertaining to the development of a skate park in Longford [40890/22]
View answerTwo schemes within my Department's remit provide capital grant assistance for the development and improvement of sports facilities.
The 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 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising the investment in disadvantaged areas.
The 2020 round of the SCEP closed for applications on Monday 1 March 2021 and by the deadline a record 3,106 applications were submitted.
Approximately one thousand of the submitted applications were for 'equipment-only' projects. These applications were assessed first and grants with a total value of €16.6 million were announced on 6 August, 2021.
The remaining capital applications were then assessed and 1,865 individual grant offers with a total value of over €143.8 million were announced on Friday 11 February 2022.
Unsuccessful applicants were able to appeal the Department's decision. The deadline for submission of capital appeals was Monday 4 April and 146 appeals were received. The assessment of all appeals is complete and the consequent allocations amounting to €6.1 million were announced on Tuesday 31 May.
The total allocation of €166.6 million for sports projects under the 2020 round represented the highest level of allocation ever made under the SCEP with a significant number of local authority-led projects benefiting. Details of all allocations including those to local authorities can be found at www.gov.ie/en/collection/471ed5-sports-capital-allocations/.
The priority in the short term is to advance the 2,895 successful applications under the 2020 round to "formal approval" and grant drawdown stage which requires detailed engagement with all grantees. Now that the appeal process is complete, my Department will also undertake a full review of all aspects of the 2020 round of the SCEP and any recommendations arising will be reflected in the terms and conditions of the next round. The precise timing of this next round of the Programme will be announced once this review is complete.
Funding is also provided by my Department for sports facilities under the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF), designed for projects where the grant sought is greater than the maximum available under the SCEP. The LSSIF was launched in 2018 and the first allocations under the LSSIF were announced in January 2020. Thus far, approximately €86.4 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals. The projects that received provisional allocations and the amounts provisionally awarded to them are published on the Department's website.
While the priority in the short term is to advance all of the projects that were allocated funding, as it is now over two years since the first allocations were made, and in view of the issues faced by grantees as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was considered timely to review progress on all projects allocated grants. My Department has now met with all successful grantees and work is at an advanced stage in drafting the review. Once the review is complete the scope for awarding any additional grants, adjusting the level of existing grants and the timing of any new call for proposals will be considered.
Any future application for funding for a skate park in Longford under either the SCEP or LSSIF will be considered on its own merits in line with the relevant assessment criteria.
574. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the actions and engagements her Department has taken to date to reduce carbon emissions and to increase energy efficiency in all buildings under her Department. [40922/22]
View answerAs has been previously advised to the House my Department participates in the Public Sector Energy Reporting Programme and provides energy consumption data to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) which manages the reporting process on behalf of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
In the SEAI Annual Report 2021 the Department and its agencies reported 39% energy savings as against baseline levels recorded in 2009.As the Deputy will be aware the management of buildings occupied by staff of my Department is primarily a matter for the Office of Public Works. As a consequence, an energy management company has been engaged by OPW to liaise with officials in my Department for the purposes of identifying better building energy management systems. My officials continue to work with the OPW to introduce behavioural changes and implement measures which contribute to improvement in overall energy efficiently performance levels in Department buildings.
As required under The Climate Action Plan my Department has appointed a Climate and Sustainability Champion and established a Green Team which will be responsible for the development and implementation of the Department’s Climate Action Roadmap, in compliance with the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate.
575. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she have received any gifts from visiting dignitaries; if she will provide a breakdown of the details of these gifts, their value, and the way they were disposed of; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41127/22]
View answer576. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she has received any gifts while travelling abroad; if she will provide a breakdown of the detail and value of these gifts and the way they were disposed of; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41145/22]
View answer577. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she or her Department have given any gifts to visiting dignitaries; if she will provide a breakdown of the detail and the value of these gifts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41163/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 575, 576 and 577 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, a gift given to an office holder, or a spouse or civil partner or child, by virtue of his or her office, which exceeds €650 in value, must be surrendered in accordance with the provisions of the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001. There is also a requirement that such a gift will be disclosed in the office holder's annual statement of registerable interests.
Since my appointment as Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, I have not received any gifts, either from visiting dignitaries or while travelling abroad, which fall under the above provisions.
I can also confirm that neither my Department nor I have given any gifts to visiting dignitaries in that time.
578. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of scholarships that are currently provided to support public service workers undertaking immersion courses in the Gaeltacht; the way that this funding is distributed; and the amount that a scholarship is worth. [41253/22]
View answerWhile my Department does not currently provide such scholarships as those mentioned, the Deputy may be aware of the following initiatives which my Department administers for the benefit of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht:
- DEIS Gaeltachta – Under this initiative which commenced in 2019, over 400 scholarships are offered annually worth c. €850 each in respect of 3-week summer courses to provide unique opportunities for attendees of DEIS post-primary schools throughout the country to attend a summer college in the Gaeltacht. Courses of two weeks duration are also covered under the initiative. This expanded fund which is worth €400,000 annually is administered by the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB) on behalf of my Department. This social inclusion measure is providing greater opportunities than ever before to DEIS students who might not otherwise get the chance to attend a summer course in the Gaeltacht.
- ERASMUS Gaeltachta – Under this initiative which commenced in 2019, an annual fund worth €250,000 has been created to give up to 175 third-level students the opportunity to settle for a university semester with Gaeltacht families while attending a qualified third level course. A subsidy of €19 per day is paid by my Department to the host families under Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge. Students must apply through their own third level institution and must be enrolled on a course that has Irish as a core subject or be studying a subject that would require a high level of proficiency.
- Árainn Gaeltachta – This initiative provides funding of up to €150,000 over a 3 year period so that up to 30 post-primary students per year can spend a full year attending any one of the three post-primary schools on the Aran Islands. A subsidy of €30 per day is paid by my Department to the host families under Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge. The scheme is administered by the (GRETB) and the participation schools are, Coláiste Naomh Éinne, Inis Mór, Coláiste Ghobnait, Inis Oírr, agus Coláiste Naomh Eoin, Inis Meáin.
All of these measures are being undertaken in the context of the ongoing implementation of the Government's Five-Year Action Plan for the Irish Language (Plean Gníomhaíochta don Ghaeilge 2018-2022) and the overarching 20-Year Strategy For the Irish Language 2010-2030.
Finally, in recognition the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021, I established the Irish Language Services Advisory Committee on the 20 June 2022. One of the key roles of the Advisory Committee is to prepare a National Plan for the Provision of Public Services through Irish by 19 June 2024.
As part of the National Plan, current gaps in the existing level of public services available through Irish will be identified and a range of new policies and initiatives introduced to ensure we bridge these gaps and improve the level and quality of Irish-medium public services in general. In that context, the possibilities around measures such as that alluded to by the Deputy are being explored.
This project will present challenges across the public service no doubt, and it is precisely for this reason that a co-ordinated, systematic, planned and transparent approach has been provided for in legislation in order to resolve issues around the adequate provision of public services in the national language.
579. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the budget under which the subheading Creative Schools is funded. [41257/22]
View answerCreative Schools is a flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme to enable the creative potential of every child. It is led by the Arts Council in partnership with my Department and the Department of Education. In my Department, Creative Schools is funded by the Arts Council through subhead B.9.
In addition to the expenditure by my Department, it is worth noting the Department of Education and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth provide funding to support the delivery of Creative Schools on an all-of-Government basis.
580. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the annual salary for employing an artist-in-residence. [41259/22]
View answerThe designation of artists-in-residence encompasses a wide range of artistic disciplines involving collaborations between artists and hosting organisations, institutions. At the core of an artist's residency is an approach that provides artists with space and resources to support their artistic practice while working together with the host organisation in pursuit of a specific outcome or theme.
There is no pre-determined universal annual salary and each artist-in-residence is different. Any artist-in-residence programme funded by my Department would be covered by an open and transparent process, with the duration and remuneration advertised publicly.
581. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the total capital and current expenditure by her Department in each of the past ten years on the National Theatre the Abbey Theatre. [41260/22]
View answerCurrent and capital funding provided to the Abbey Theatre by my Department for the past 10 years is reproduced below.
|
Year |
Current €000s |
Capital €000s |
Total €000s |
|
2012 |
67 |
450 |
517 |
|
2013 |
60 |
250 |
310 |
|
2014 |
37 |
475 |
512 |
|
2015 |
375 |
375 |
|
|
2016 |
887 |
475 |
1,362 |
|
2017 |
19 |
500 |
519 |
|
2018 |
107 |
400 |
507 |
|
2019 |
78 |
400 |
478 |
|
2020 |
400 |
400 |
|
|
2021 |
46 |
600 |
646 |
|
2022 (Allocation) |
400 |
400 |
Annual Current funding is provided to the Abbey Theatre by the Arts Council.
582. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the total capital and current expenditure by her Department in each of the past ten years on Amharclann Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, An Taibhdhearc. [41261/22]
View answerThe Department's expenditure on Amharclann Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, An Taibhdhearc for the past ten years is as follows;
|
Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe |
||
|
Year |
Current |
Capital |
|
2012 |
€ 323,920 |
€ 189,162 |
|
2013 |
€ 323,920 |
€ 85,000 |
|
2014 |
€ 307,276 |
|
|
2015 |
€ 320,000 |
|
|
2016 |
€ 320,000 |
|
|
2017 |
€ 320,000 |
|
|
2018 |
€ 320,000 |
|
|
2019 |
€ 345,000 |
|
|
2020 |
€ 273,392 |
€ 38,236 |
|
2021 |
€ 384,585 |
€ 38,236 |
|
2022 (Allocation) |
€ 320,000 |
€ 16,400 |
|
Total |
€ 3,558,000 |
€ 367,034 |
As the Deputy is aware, increases in provision are dependent on the resources available to the Department. Any increased funding in 2023 will be determined in the forthcoming Estimates process.
583. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the way that the Government arrived at the position of seeking to establish as National Cultural Institutions, bodies involved in several art forms but none in theatre, despite the significant role of the Abbey Theatre and An Taibhdhearc as national theatres in the history of the State and on our cultural landscape; and if any review has taken place of this anomaly in the years since. [41262/22]
View answerThe Department supports a broad range of National Cultural Institutions as part of its goal to support and develop engagement with, and in arts, culture and creativity by individuals and communities thereby enriching lives through cultural activity. Under its current Statement of Strategy (2021 to 2023), the Department includes two high-level strategies which relate to the National Cultural Institutions:
- To support our agencies and National Cultural Institutions in providing a high quality cultural offering to the public; and
- To future proof our national collections to ensure they are available to future generations.
As part of its delivery of these high-level strategies, the Department provides annual capital funding to the Abbey Theatre and current and capital funding to the other National Cultural Institutions. The Abbey Theatre receives its annual current funding from the Arts Council.
Legislative underpinning for the National Cultural Institutions comes from the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997, while Part 3 of the Heritage Fund Act 2001 provides for the establishment and operation of a Council for the National Cultural Institutions Act. The membership of that Council includes the Directors/Chief Executives of the following institutions and includes the Abbey Theatre:
- National Museum of Ireland;
- National Library of Ireland;
- National Gallery of Ireland;
- Irish Museum of Modern Art;
- National Archives;
- National Concert Hall;
- Chester Beatty Library;
- Abbey Theatre;
- Arts Council; and
- Heritage Council
It is considered that the inclusion of the Abbey Theatre and Arts Council as part of the Council ensure that the broad range of art forms are represented on the Council. The Department, within its overall legislative and policy responsibility to support the arts and culture in Ireland, continues to maintain this under review.
I should also point out that in line with the Government’s 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 and, in view of its important role in providing a national stage for the Irish-medium performance arts, An Taibhdhearc is provided with an annual administration grant of €320,000 from my Department’s Irish Language Division to develop and promote its activities.
