Thank you, Chairman, for your good wishes.
I am very pleased to present the 2010 Estimate for my ministerial Vote group and to have this opportunity to meet the committee to discuss the Estimates for my Department and the National Gallery and related issues.
While not formally part of the Estimates, output statements are an element of the budget and Estimates reform measures announced by the Minister for Finance in the 2006 budget. The output statement is designed to match the key outputs of the main programmes to the financial and staffing resources allocated to them for each year. It shows the output targets which were set out for 2009 at the beginning of that year and how we performed against those targets. It also contains output targets for 2010.
I have responsibility for the Votes of the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport and the National Gallery of Ireland. The total allocation to the Vote group in 2010 is almost €479 million. My remit covers a very wide area including tourism, arts, culture, film and sport. I will confine my comments to a relatively limited number of elements of that extensive brief for which provision has been made in the 2010 Estimates.
On the tourism side of my Department, there is provision in 2010 for expenditure of more than €153 million on tourism services across a diverse range of activities. I am pleased to have taken over responsibility for the tourism sector, given its economic importance, contribution to employment and undoubted potential to contribute to Ireland's economic revival. I have been particularly struck by the scale and reach of what is one of our largest indigenous industries and one of our most important economic sectors, representing almost 4% of GNP and generating foreign revenue earnings of €4 billion and annual tax receipts of approximately €1.3 billion in 2009. While 2010 continues to be a challenging year in respect of overseas visitors, I am heartened that the most recent Fáilte Ireland visitor attitude survey shows that 95% of overseas visitors stated that their holiday either matched or exceeded their expectations. I understand too that there is great latent potential in our key source markets in terms of a positive wish to visit Ireland, which we will work hard to convert into actual visits.
Tourism worldwide has been deeply affected by global economic difficulties and loss of consumer confidence, with Ireland particularly hit by exchange rate challenges. In addition, exceptional weather conditions in the first two months of this year affected Ireland and most of our overseas markets and then we experienced problems arising from the volcanic ash issue in April and May. Despite these difficulties, it is important to remember that millions of people across the world still will take holidays this year and the industry and the tourism agencies are fighting hard for every bit of this business. I have met the key tourism industry groups and the key tourism agencies to get their assessment of current issues facing the sector. We already have in place a strong policy framework that has been developed in partnership with the industry and which we are pursuing energetically. One of my objectives is to bring a fresh approach and renewed vigour to our marketing efforts, both at home and abroad in order to increase visitor numbers. I spent one day on a promotional visit to Frankfurt, Germany, and intend going to London and New York in the coming weeks for a series of engagements with key players in the travel trade and travel media, as well as meeting Tourism Ireland staff. I also will launch the on-line 1901 census returns in the important roots tourism markets of the United States and the United Kingdom. I am convinced that we have an outstanding product and experience here that stands up to best international standards.
On 6 May, I launched a €20 million summer marketing campaign on behalf of Tourism Ireland. This initiative builds on Tourism Ireland's marketing effort earlier in the year and is designed to win as much business as possible for the peak season. This unprecedented drive in key markets in Great Britain, the United States, Germany and France aims to create the conditions for recovery later this year. The new marketing drive was developed in conjunction with hundreds of tourism industry partners, including the air and sea carriers, which have got behind the campaign with a range of value-for-money offers. The tourism agencies are taking every opportunity to remind potential visitors that Ireland is accessible and open for business and there is exceptionally good value when one gets here.
Members are aware of the challenges caused in recent months by volcanic ash. For my part, I met representatives of tourism industry groups, as well as tourism agencies, to discuss responses to the challenges. Subsequently, I announced that Fáilte Ireland would work with the industry to draw up a customer care charter addressing issues such as cancellations, pricing, information, and quality of services for all tourists affected by delayed travel plans due to volcanic ash. The charter has been issued by Fáilte Ireland to all accommodation providers on their database. Fortunately, since the initial widespread disruption, improved knowledge has avoided prolonged closures of controlled airspace and carriers, engine manufacturers and regulators all are engaged in constant refinement of their approaches as they gain more knowledge. Most recently, the volcano has ceased significant emissions but at least we know we would be far better prepared in the event of any future recurrence.
I now will turn to sport, for which a provision of almost €118 million has been made in this year's Estimates. This amount includes funding for payment of grants under the sports capital programme and the local authority swimming pools programme, as well as funding for the Irish Sports Council, the national sport campus and the final stage of funding for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road. A small amount also is provided for the final payment of grants to support sport in disadvantaged areas under the dormant accounts funding. The year 2010 is shaping up to be another good year for Irish sport with many thrilling moments and some wonderful successes already achieved. Most recently, there once again has been a remarkable achievement on the part of our amateur boxers, who won five medals in the European Senior Boxing Championships in Moscow. I am sure many more such achievements are yet to come this year and I must mention Graeme McDowell's victory in the US Open in this regard.
One of the highlights of the year thus far for many sport fans was the completion of the new Aviva Stadium at Lansdowne Road, which was officially opened on 14 May. The first sporting event will take place there at the end of July and I am sure that fans are eagerly awaiting their chance to experience this magnificent venue. It is a world-class stadium, as well as an architectural landmark for the city, and a source of pride for the people of Dublin. The decision last year by UEFA to award the hosting of the 2011 Europa League Final to Dublin is a clear recognition by that body of the potential of this new state-of-the-art venue and provides an early return for the Government's commitment to investment in sporting infrastructure. In speaking about the year's highlights, I wish to recognise the contribution to sport made by the late Dermot Earley, who was a tremendous sportsman. He is a great loss both on the field and in his role as Chief of Staff of the Army and I wish to extend sincere sympathy to all his family.
The huge social and economic benefits of sport are acknowledged by the Government and this is reflected in the level of funding invested in sport in recent years. The sports capital programme is the primary means of providing Government funding to sport and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The programme has been a huge success with the allocation of more than €730 million to more than 7,400 projects since 1998. It would be no exaggeration to state the programme has been of benefit to communities the length and breadth of the country and has transformed the sporting facility landscape. While no decision has been taken on the timing of the next round of the programme, there is an allocation of €48 million in the subhead for this year, which will cover payments still to be drawn down for grants awarded in previous years. Approximately 1,000 payments will be made to projects being undertaken this year across the country. Other sports projects also are continuing, including the current round of the local authority swimming pools programme. Five swimming pools were completed and opened in 2009 and one further new pool is expected to open in 2010. Two more pools are expected to start construction before the end of the year.
The Irish Sports Council is the statutory body responsible for encouraging the promotion, development and co-ordination of competitive sport and for increasing participation in recreational sport. It has received more than €366 million in funding since it was established in July 1999 and its allocation for 2010 is almost €50 million. Since its establishment in 1999, the Irish Sports Council has been central to developing sporting ability leading to high performance, while at the same time driving participation levels in conjunction with the national governing bodies, the local sports partnerships, the Institute of Sport, Coaching Ireland and the Olympic and Paralympic Councils.
I will now turn to the arts and culture subheads. This year, more than €163 million has been allocated to the arts and culture subheads, including the National Gallery. The arts and culture sectors are vibrant and vital sectors of our economy; the wellspring of many of our creative and innovative enterprises. These sectors are primary economic contributors, real businesses, enduring employers and differentiators of Ireland as a cultural and tourist destination.
Arts and culture continue to be a uniquely powerful door-opener for Ireland internationally, especially in the United States. Following the Global Economic Forum in Farmleigh last year, there has been a special focus at Government level to maximise the opportunities presented by the success of Ireland's artists to use culture as a calling card for Ireland and Irish business. In that context, in March 2010 the Taoiseach appointed actor Gabriel Byrne as a cultural ambassador for Ireland. The position of cultural ambassador is a new one and it is an official means of enhancing the involvement and impact of an internationally renowned artistic figure in the cultural promotion of Ireland abroad. The role involves assisting in promotion, advocacy and providing advice on cultural matters to the Government. It also is a recognition of the important role that arts, culture and film have to play in reinforcing Ireland's position on the international stage. Culture Ireland is working closely with Gabriel Byrne in promoting Irish arts and culture in the United States and, in particular, in planning a major year-long programme of Irish arts, which will take place in the United States in 2011. This year, Culture Ireland has organised a strategic programme of cultural collaborations between Irish and Chinese artists and institutions to mark the Shanghai World Expo. The projects range across music, dance, theatre, film, literature and visual art and are designed to strengthen Ireland's longer-term cultural positioning in China.
Our national cultural institutions continue to attract large numbers of visitors and are an important component of Ireland's tourism product. In 2009, more than 3 million people visited cultural institutions funded by my Department. The National Gallery is in the top 25 galleries in Europe and visitor numbers to the National Museum surpass those of many illustrious contemporary museums in Europe and the USA. I am glad to note that visitor numbers to our cultural institutions are continuing to grow this year. In the month after its re-opening, the Natural History Museum had more than 23,000 visitors.
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of launching the 1901 census website. The digitisation of the 1901 and 1911 censuses is one of many projects funded through subhead D4 of the Department's Vote. More than 4.5 million individual records from the returns made by 850,000 households on census night in 1901 are now available free of charge for everyone across the world to access. The project has proven a hit with the public and, with 732,000 visits and 64 million hits to the 1901 census since its launch on 3 June, has surpassed all anticipated reaction. This is even before its official launch in the United States of America next week. The census records represent a valuable part of Irish national heritage and are a wonderful resource for genealogists, historians and other scholars.
Supporting cultural development projects is primarily done from subhead D5, which has an allocation of €16 million in 2010. This level of funding will allow for the completion of more projects under the Arts and Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme, ACCESS. Under this scheme, grants totalling more than €85 million have been awarded for the development of 120 arts and cultural infrastructure projects. These include integrated arts centres, theatres, museums and galleries as well as arts studios and other creative and performance spaces. The ACCESS programme has been widely acknowledged as a significant intervention in the provision of quality cultural spaces throughout the regions. In 2010, ACCESS projects already completed or nearing completion include the Model Arts Centre in Sligo, the Belltable in Limerick, the Solas cinema in Galway and the Wexford Arts Centre. Work on the next phase of Smock Alley will commence this year. In addition, other projects that have received capital funding in the recent past are the Gaiety Theatre, the Gate Theatre, the Abbey Theatre, the Wexford Opera House, the Hugh Lane Gallery, the Druid, the Lighthouse cinema, the Carlow Contemporary Art Gallery, the Dock in Carrick-on-Shannon and the Theatre Royal in Waterford.
I now wish to discuss subhead D10 on the Irish Film Board, IFB, for which more than €19 million has been provided this year. Once again, I congratulate Mr. Richard Baneham on winning the Academy award for best visual effects for his work on "Avatar". Congratulations should also go to the other four Irish nominations for Academy awards. These were wonderful achievements against the might of the large studios and it is something in which all of the Irish audiovisual industry can take great pride.
Primary responsibility for the support, promotion of and investment in film making rests with the IFB and it is worth pointing out that three of the recent nominations for Academy awards were for projects funded by the IFB. To forge a strategy for the ongoing development of the audiovisual industry, an audiovisual content strategy group was established last year. It will assist in providing a clear vision for the future of the industry and a response to market changes. Following the receipt of the framework report, which I expect to be completed soon, I will bring the recommendations to Government to ensure the audiovisual industry has the required supports and opportunities to develop to its full potential. The size of the industry can double in the next ten years and there are some exciting projects in prospect.
Attracting international productions to Ireland and ensuring the necessary supports are in place play an important part of the role of the IFB. In this regard, it is pleasing that "Camelot", a new ten-part drama series, will be filming in Ireland this summer. This is welcome news and will build on the success of "The Tudors", which was filmed here in recent years. It is once again testament to the excellent talent available in Ireland, both in front of and behind the camera. On a different level, I am pleased to note that the award winning and charming home grown production, "His and Hers", which was supported by the IFB, was released nationwide on 18 June. This is the balance that the IFB is trying to achieve — supporting talented indigenous film makers as well as attracting international productions like "Camelot".
My Vote group also includes Vote 33 — the National Gallery. Of the €10.4 million provided in 2010, more than €8 million is to meet general administration costs. Most of the balance is to fund acquisitions and conservation activity by the gallery. The gallery will mount two major exhibitions this year, "Acquisitions 2000-2010" and "Metsu". The latter exhibition will then travel to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the National Gallery of Art in Washington. The National Gallery had more than 780,000 visitors in 2009 and, up to the end of April, has had more than 250,000 visitors this year. This is another jewel in the cultural tourism mix and continued investment in it is imperative.
The programmes I have mentioned comprise only a few of the many funded by my Department and the organisations under its aegis. I hope this gives a flavour of the range of projects and activities for which I am responsible. I commend the Estimates to the committee and shall be happy to provide additional information or clarifications to members during the course of our discussion.