Written Answers Nos. 240-246
240. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps she will take to promote the Irish language in the course of the 1916 commemorations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40651/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraA number of initiatives are being undertaken for the purpose of promoting the Irish language in the course of the 1916 Commemorations Programme. The development of a cultural centre at Teach an Phiarsaigh in Ros Muc, Co. Galway, is being progressed by a steering group comprising the various stakeholders, including Údarás na Gaeltachta, Galway County Council, the Office of Public Works, Fáilte Ireland and my own Department. I consider it very fitting that this project is being advanced as part of the 1916 Commemorations Programme since the development of Teach an Phiarsaigh will bring together the legacy of Pádraig Pearse’s contribution to Irish history and education and, in particular, his involvement with the Irish language and the Gaeltacht community. This development will undoubtedly benefit the area in terms of increased tourism, particularly in terms of cultural tourism and the creation of employment in the area. In addition to being one of the flagship projects of the Commemorations Programme, I am advised that Teach an Phiarsaigh is afforded special recognition in Fáilte Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way project, Connemara Destination Plan and Connemara Driving Tour and is a key component of the strategy to develop the tourism sector in Connemara.
The digitisation of the National Folklore Collection of Ireland is another project under development. This project, which is called Dúchas.ie, commenced in 2012 and is the result of a partnership between the National Folklore Collection in UCD, Fiontar in DCU and my own Department. This Irish folklore repository, some of which is already available online, features pages of handwritten folklore and local history recorded in 1937-38 by Irish schoolchildren as part of the Schools' Collection. It is intended that a significant part of this Collection, including material from Gaeltacht areas, will be available online for the centenary of the 1916 Rising.
My Department is also providing grant aid to the Royal Irish Academy to facilitate the digitisation and online publication by 2016 of Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge, an Irish language periodical published between 1882 and 1926 with regular contributions from the leaders of the 1916 Rising.
241. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of historic, heritage and-or protected sites and buildings deemed to be at risk at present for whatever reason; the action proposed to address such issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40652/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraComprehensive statistics are not available in respect of the number of historic, heritage and/or protected sites and buildings deemed to be at risk throughout the country. My Department has a number of measures at its disposal to address the issue of endangered heritage sites or buildings throughout the country. All known archaeological monuments, of which there are in excess of 130,000, are entitled to protection under the National Monuments Acts. The National Monuments Acts 1930-2004 allow me to make a preservation order where I consider a national monument to be at risk. Protection may be extended to previously unrecorded monuments by entering them in the Register of Historic Monuments or the Record of Monuments and Places. Prosecutions in respect of damage to recorded monuments are initiated where warranted.
Under section 53 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I may make recommendations to a planning authority concerning the inclusion in its Record of Protected Structures any structures which I consider would merit such inclusion and the attendant planning restrictions which would apply to protect the structures’ special architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest.
244. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she intends to promote the use of Ireland as a location for the film industry with particular reference to the availability of numerous scenic routes which are generally sought after by film-makers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40655/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Irish Film Board (IFB) is the statutorily independent agency responsible for the development and promotion of the culture of Irish filmmaking together with the development of the Irish film industry, taking into account both indigenous filmmaking and major international film and television productions. I have no responsibility in relation to its day-to-day operational matters, including policies around the use of various locations throughout the State. In Budgets 2013 and 2014, significant changes to the film and television production tax and incentive regime were announced to encourage the location in the State of mobile audiovisual production. I would refer the Deputy to the website of the Irish Film Board at http://www.irishfilmboard.ie/, on which details of film locations are regularly updated.
245. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of turf cutters who applied for the turf compensation scheme that were approved for payment; the number that were refused; and the number pending. [40664/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra3,017 applications under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme for raised bog special areas of conservation have been received and acknowledged by my Department. 6,116 payments and 610 turf deliveries have been made in respect of the applications received. In addition, 1,197 once-off incentive payments of €500 have been made to applicants who have signed and returned legal agreements under the scheme to my Department. The scheme has been extended to landowners and turbary right holders affected by the restrictions on turf cutting in raised bog natural heritage areas. 147 applications have been received and 68 payments have been made to applicants from these sites.
My Department estimates that in the region of 2,200 individual applicants have received payments under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme.
The qualifying criteria for the scheme are that:
- The claimant must have a legal interest in one of the raised bog special areas of conservation or natural heritage areas – ownership or turbary right;
- The claimant must have been the owner or entitled to exercise turbary rights on the land in question on 25 May 2010;
- The turbary on the site must not be exhausted;
- The claimant must have been cutting turf on the land in question during the relevant five year period; and
- No turf cutting or associated activity is ongoing on the property.
I am advised that, at this stage, 99 applicants have been informed by my Department that they do not fulfil the qualifying criteria of the scheme.
While it may be anticipated that there will be further instances where applicants will be informed that they do not fulfil the qualifying criteria of the scheme, current priority is being given to providing payments to those who clearly appear to fulfil the qualifying criteria on the basis of the information they have provided. In addition, establishing ownership rights is particularly complex and my Department is working with owners of land and turbary right holders to assist them in this regard.
A number of applicants are not being provided with compensation under the scheme as the areas on which they have been cutting turf are not within one of the designated sites.
246. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will increase the role of the Arts Council in the decision making process in relation to spending decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40680/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAlthough the Arts Council is funded by my Department, it is statutorily independent in its day-to-day operations, as provided for in the Arts Act 2003. This specifically includes independence in its decisions on who it funds and the amounts it allocates. Full information on the Council's funding decisions is made available on its website at www.artscouncil.ie. As a public body, the Arts Council is required to adhere to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and other practices of good governance and transparency. Disbursal of funding is required to be fully in line with public service financial and accountability requirements. I understand that the Arts Council also requires the organisations it funds to comply with similar standards.
The Deputy will note that, on its website, the Arts Council commits to operating to the highest standards of corporate governance and has adopted a corporate governance regime in accordance with best practice, which includes a section on conflicts of interest.
I am confident that the Arts Council continues to discharge its duty as the principal State agency for the promotion and development of the arts in Ireland in a strategic but transparent manner.
