Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 May 2023
370. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the funding spent on the Decade of Centenaries annually in 2022 and 2023; the breakdown by current and capital spending; and an outline of her plans to continue the State programme of commemorations following the completion of the Decade of Centenaries. [24589/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, my Department leads on co-ordination of the cross-Governmental Decade of Centenaries Programme 2012-2023.
In common with all Government Departments, details of annual expenditure are included in the Appropriation Accounts. In 2022, the total expenditure by my Department under the centenaries programme was €6,675,841.42 comprised of €4,962,991.42 (current) and €1,712,850.00 (capital). Other State partners have also delivered initiatives and events under the Programme and will have incurred expenditure in this regard e.g. the Departments of the Taoiseach, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Justice and others.
For 2023, I have allocated €5m in current funding and €3.2m in capital funding to support the Programme. The experience of the Department over the life of the Programme to date, is that the drawdown of the majority of these allocations typically occurs in the final quarter of the relevant year.
The Government's approach to commemorations continues to be underpinned by the guidance of the Expert Advisory Group on Centenary Commemorations (EAG) and consultation with the All-Party Consultation Group on Commemorations.
I am currently scheduling a June meeting of the All-Party Group of which the Deputy is a member and planning for commemorations for the period post Decade of Centenaries Programme will be discussed further at that meeting.
Following consultation with a number of other stakeholders and our Programme partners, it is my intention to bring proposals to Government later in the year that set out an approach to be taken to commemorations following the completion of the Decade of Centenaries Programme.
