Written Answers. - Arts Plan.
Ivor Callely
Ceist:
34
Mr. Callely
asked the
Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands
if she is satisfied with the development of arts in society; the proposals she has for the development of the State's arts and culture infrastructure; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[20408/01]
As Minister responsible for the arts, I would be extremely reluctant to describe myself as being fully satisfied with the development of the arts, lest this imply that there is no room for improvement or further development in this very important area of our national life. However, I am satisfied that the position is now very much better than when I took office. I secured funding of £100 million for the Arts Council in the context of the current three year arts plan. This represents a very major increase on previous levels of provision.
I have also undertaken a review of the existing arts legislation with a view to determining the principles and issues that need to be addressed in any new legislation to reflect the way we develop, support and understand the arts. In July 2000 I published a discussion document, Towards a new Framework for the Arts, which set out in broad terms many of the issues to be addressed concerning the arts in today's environment. I invited the arts sector to respond to this document and over 230 submissions were received.
Subsequently, a consultation seminar was held in May this year in the course of which over 30 key players in the arts sector were brought together in focus groups to consider in detail the issues arising in the context of the legislative review and which had been brought to the fore in the submissions received. The outcome of their discussions were presented to and discussed by a plenary session to which were invited all of the 230 plus parties who had made submissions. Other interested individuals and organisations were also invited to this plenary session.
The views and outcomes that have emerged from this consultation process have informed my proposals that have been approved by Government for the drafting of a new Arts Bill and I am currently having discussions with the Attorney General with regard to the timetable for publishing the new Bill. In May of this year I announced the establishment, in co-operation with IBEC, of the Music Board of Ireland. During its first year, the board is charged to formulate a strategic plan for the development of the Irish music industry.
In May 2000 I announced a new scheme known as the arts and culture capital enhancement support scheme, ACCESS, which will have funding of £36 million available to approved projects over the period 2001-04. ACCESS will primarily assist the development of arts and culture infrastructure and in particular integrated arts centres, theatres, museums and galleries as well as art studios and other arts production, creative and theatre spaces. The programme will have three distinct strands as follows: new facilities at regional, county and city level; the redevelopment of existing arts and culture facilities and venues including new build, additional build or major refurbishment; and smaller community based projects.
Applications for the above scheme have been received and the independent committee I established to examine applications has completed its work. I will shortly be in a position to announce which projects can be given approval in principle, subject to relevant conditions being satisfied. Significant infrastructural developments have been brought forward for the national cultural institutions. Since early 1998 major works have been undertaken or are at an advanced planning stage in all of the institutions coming within my remit. These projects include the £16 million development of the millennium wing for the National Gallery of Ireland. Thus, the gallery will be able to develop its conservation facilities, gain much need exhibition space, enhance the visitor experience and generally provide an improved service for its visitor and staff alike.
Last year the newly refurbished and converted Clock Tower building at Dublin Castle was opened for the Chester Beatty Library, thus transferring this priceless and unique collection from its former home in Shewsbury Road, to its new prestigious and central location in the heart of Dublin. This move will secure for future generations this magnificent storehouse of artefacts from different cultures and times. The library will be enabled in its new abode to ensure the conservation of, accessibility to, and enjoyment for, the thousands of visitors who come to this historical part of the city annually of its material, much of which has not been on public display to date.
Contemporary art has not been neglected and a new facility at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Kilmainham has been opened. This project involved the refurbishment of a building known as the Deputy Master's House for additional exhibition space and administration use and involved an investment of in excess of £2 million, part funded from EU funds. Work to the new facility for the National Museum at Collins Barracks is ongoing. Expenditure of the £18 million in EU and Exchequer funds allocated to this project under the EU programme has been achieved in the period 1994 to 1999 and the next phases are now in development. This will primarily relate to the construction of a new building at the centre of the site which will unite the whole complex and give a much-needed focus to the project.
Development for the National Museum of Ireland has not been confined to Dublin, however. An exciting project is nearing completion in Castlebar, County Mayo. With the assistance of Mayo County Council, which has shown considerable vision and enthusiasm, and with EU support, the folklife collection of the museum will be housed in new exhibition spaces to be developed at Turlough Park House just outside Castlebar at a cost of approximately £9 million. Work on this splendid project is well advanced and it is envisaged the new facility it will be ready for opening this autumn. I am confident that owing to the strategic position of Turlough Park house that very significant regional and economic benefits, principally through tourism, will accrue from the presence of this prestigious museum facility.
The National Library of Ireland has also seen the benefits of capital funds with the ongoing refurbishment works under way throughout its premises on Kildare Street. A phased plan costed at £50 million is being implemented to bring about considerable and much needed improvements not only for the collections, but for the staff and most importantly for the present and potential users of this most precious institution. A major redevelopment of the former National College of Art and Design building adjoining the library is just completed and will provide the library with improved staff facilities and collection management resources in the short term.
In relation to the National Archives, discussions I have had with my colleague the Minister for Finance have resulted in sanction to proceed with a major redevelopment scheme for the archives and the examination of the project as a potential public private partnership – PPP. An initial order of cost for the project is £45 million. This development will meet the staffing and user and storage needs of this vital institution well in the future.
The significant progress for the national cultural institutions on the capital investment side has been matched elsewhere. I made no secret of my belief that the annual funding provided for our national cultural institutions was inadequate. Since assuming office I have provided substantial additional resources for the national cultural institutions in each year. This year I am particularly pleased to report that amount of funding available for our national cultural institutions, their acquisition programme and cultural projects under subheads C1, C2 and C4 will total £16.128 million, the largest amount ever. This includes £3 million to commence the new heritage fund. This fund when established under statute later this year will finance the national cultural institutions acquisition of works of art, artefacts or collections that are beyond their normal financial resources and certainly could not even have been considered in the past. It will be a very powerful resource and will enabling the national insti tutions acquire important examples of our patrimony for the nation.
Subhead C1 of my Department's Vote provides grant-in-aid for the main cultural institutions. The cultural institutions include the National Museum of Ireland, the National Library, the National Archives, the National Concert Hall, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the Chester Beatty Library and the National Archives Advisory Council. I was pleased to be in a position to secure funding of £9.905 million in the subhead C1 allocation in 2001 and this has facilitated increases in the 2001 allocations to each of these cultural institutions. The 2001 allocations under subhead C1 include additional capital funding to facilitate the national cultural institutions in developing their collections through the acquisition of appropriate materials and artefacts.
I am particularly pleased that a significant increase, from £0.682 million in 2000 to £0.747 million in 2001, was possible in the case of the National Archives. The allocation will facilitate the National Archives to continue its conservation programme in partnership with Marsh's Library. Funding in relation to the National Concert Hall has also increased from £0.820 million to £0.940 million. This increase will facilitate staffing costs and the continuation of the National Concert Hall's very worthwhile education and outreach programme.
The subhead C2 current allocations are in respect of allocations from Exchequer funds to a number of small cultural projects and bodies. These include the Irish Manuscripts Commission, Marsh's Library, the Irish Architectural Archive, Hunt Museum etc. I am also pleased to mention an increase from £0.107 million to £0.200 million respect of Marsh's Library. This will facilitate the holding of a number of events and activities to mark the tercentenary of the foundation of the Library in 1701.
In the case of Vote 43 for the National Gallery, the 2001 allocation shows an increase of 234% over the 2000 Vote. This significant increase in the gallery's Vote is accounted for in large measure by a substantial increase in the budget for the purchase of paintings as well as the increase in salaries, wages and allowances. This provision reflects the Government's contribution towards the completion of the major extension to the National Gallery, the millennium wing on Clare Street, which was also in receipt of EU Structural Funds.
