Written Answers Nos. 231-240
231. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount of bonus remuneration paid to staff in her Department and in agencies under her aegis to date in 2015; the number of persons to whom these payments were made and their purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32530/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised that no such payments have been made to staff of my Department or in the bodies under its aegis to date in 2015.
232. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will support the Heritage Council's investment in projects (details supplied), which set out its needs for 2016 and increase its capacity to support local communities through these grants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32562/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s allocation to the Heritage Council in 2016 will be subject to the normal budgetary processes and final confirmation in the Revised Estimates due to be published later this year. It will be primarily a matter for the Heritage Council to decide how its funding should be allocated across the range of research, education and conservation programmes it supports in 2016, having regard to competing priorities for limited resources.
The scope for funding for the conservation of the built heritage is currently constrained by the significant reduction in the public finances. Nonetheless, the competing priorities regarding the preservation and enhancement of the national heritage are kept under ongoing review, having regard to the resources available to my Department.
233. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta céard iad na tograí caipitiúla oileánda a ngabhann ollchostas os cionn €1m leo agus ar ceadaíodh airgead ó Mhárta 2011 lena n-aghaidh; cén méid airgid a ceadaíodh i ngach cás; céard iad ainmneacha na dtograí a bhí i gceist; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [32572/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraNí raibh aon tograí caipitil ag mo Roinn a thagann faoin gcatagóir atá luaite ag an Teachta sa tréimhse atá luaite.
234. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an mbeidh forbairtí ar ché Inis Oírr agus ar ché an Chalaidh Mhóir ar Inis Meáin san áireamh sa chlár caipitiúil atá le fógairt go luath; cén méid airgid a bheidh i gceist sa chlár seo do na hoileáin; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [32573/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMar is eol don Teachta, is le Comhairle Contae na Gaillimhe na céanna seo. Ós rud é nach bhfuil an clár caipitil don tréimhse 2016-2021 fógartha ag an Rialtas, ní féidir a rá céard a bheidh san áireamh sa chlár sin go dtí go bhfógraítear é.
235. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which jobs continue to be created throughout the arts and heritage sectors given the excellent return for investment per Euro in these areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32684/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra237. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the degree to which her Department has continued to support the arts, in all its varied forms, during the economic downturn; whether any specific new measures are anticipated in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32686/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra246. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which the arts and heritage sectors continue to attract support from philanthropists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32695/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 235, 237 and 246 together.
The Action Plan for Jobs 2015 was published in January this year and is the fourth in the multi-annual series, which promotes a whole-of-government approach to economic recovery, export growth and job creation. The Action Plan sets out a number of actions in relation to the heritage and arts sectors.
The nature of employment within these sectors encompasses a wide range of activities, from theatre and music to archaeology and tourism, as well as the creative sectors, including audiovisual production.
For example, it is estimated that the audiovisual sector provides 6,000 full-time job equivalents. Last year, 53 feature films were made here. Many of those employed in the industry are graduates. Some 65% of investment in the sector is inward investment. My Department is working with other Government Departments and agencies to examine ways in which further support can be provided to the industry.
Many people in the creative sectors will benefit from the additional funding which my Department is providing for the Decade of Commemorations, in particular the investment in the Ireland 2016 programme. This comprises €4m current and €22m capital funding in 2015. There is also a €2 million allocation directed through the Arts Council for artistic projects. Considerable employment benefits arising from the capital projects under way or being planned. For example, some 200 jobs have been created in the construction stage of the new interpretative centre in the GPO. In addition, some 300 high-level jobs have been created in the construction work on the National Gallery of Ireland as part of a joint project funded by my Department, the OPW and the National Gallery.
The built heritage jobs leverage scheme was a funded by a special €5 million stimulus package in 2014. It was very successful and leveraged a further €10 million in private funding and many projects benefited from it. Funding for the protection of heritage sites and buildings will continue to be provided by my Department in 2015 via a number of schemes, which will be either directly administered or delivered through local authorities or through the Heritage Council.
I am aware of the potential of the creative sector to contribute to sustainable jobs growth and my Department continues to work with other Departments as part of the Government’s overall objectives under the Action Plan for Jobs.
The Government's policy on the arts is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms, to increase access to and participation in the arts and to make the arts an integral and valued part of our national life. The Government also appreciates the importance of the cultural and creative industries to Ireland and our economy and provides significant support for the arts and film through its funding of the Arts Council and the Film Board, while my Department provides capital supports for the development of arts and cultural infrastructure.
Other financial and policy supports are also provided, for example, through the taxation system. I was particularly pleased that the Government introduced a 25% increase, from €40,000 to €50,000, in the income ceiling for the artists' tax exemption for 2015. This important measure recognises the invaluable contribution which artists make to society.
My Department - through Culture Ireland – plays a major part in promoting Irish arts and music on the world stage. The Arts Council operates the RAISE programme, which seeks to enhance fund-raising skills in arts organisations with a view to reducing the sector’s dependency on funding from the taxpayer and moving it more towards the business sector. My has Department also operated small capital grants schemes, which require to be co-funded from private or philanthropic sources. These initiatives assist the sector in securing philanthropic contributions to the arts in Ireland.
Finally, issues in relation to the arts, film and music are will be of particular relevance in the development of Ireland's first national cultural policy, Culture 2025. My Department has commenced the engagement in a nationwide consultation process on the development of the policy and I look forward to working further with the all interested parties as part of that process.
236. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which her Department supports, or plans to offer support to, various community-based local community arts groups or associations, with particular reference to the recognition of many excellent productions by same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32685/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra238. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the degree to which her Department supports, or expects to support, various festivals of the arts in the context of traditional or contemporary music, local drama production and/or musical societies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32687/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra239. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she expects the Arts Council to be in a position to meet its supportive requirements in full in the current year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32688/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra243. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she and her Department continue to promote an appreciation of the arts and national heritage to young people, whether through schools or otherwise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32692/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 236, 238, 239 and 243 together.
The Government's policy on the arts is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms, to increase access to and participation in the arts, and to make the arts an integral and valued part of our national life.
Primary responsibility for the promotion and support of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. The Council is funded by my Department and is statutorily independent in its day-to-day operations, and specifically in its funding decisions. In 2015, the Arts Council will receive an allocation of almost €59 million in funding, including an allocation of €2 million for its 2016 commemorations programme.
The Arts Council approach to supporting a range of arts forms is set out in its strategic overview documents, which are available on the Council's website at www.artscouncil.ie. These set out the key strategic principles that inform its funding decisions. Information on the Arts Council's funding schemes and funding decisions is available for each county and each year through its funding decisions database at www.artscouncil.ie.
The Arts Council offers support to over 250 organisations across the country, 150 festivals each year (many of them smaller festivals, which are vital to tourism and the local economies), 100 bursaries for individual artists, and travel and training awards to 150 individuals, as well as commissions and touring of shows. It also continues to support the work of the 34 local authority arts services. The Arts Council’s funded organisations contribute hugely to the cultural heritage of Ireland.
In January 2013, the Arts in Education Charter was launched as a joint initiative with the Minister for Education and Skills. The Charter places new responsibilities on Government Departments, agencies, cultural institutions and arts organisations to provide and promote arts-in-education among children and young people.
A High-Level Implementation Group, chaired by Professor John Coolahan, Professor Emeritus, NUI, Maynooth, was set up to oversee the implementation of the Arts in Education Charter. Progress is being made on a number of initiatives, including increasing the number of Artists in Residence in colleges of education and the launch in May of a website/portal as a key communications and information channel for both the education and arts sectors. There is a range of ways in which my Department is supporting arts, cultural and heritage initiatives in conjunction with local groups and communities.
These include:
- The St. Patrick's Day celebrations;
- Culture Night;
- Heritage Week;
- Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann for the promotion of the Irish traditional arts;
- Web-based projects being developed by my Department to promote greater appreciation and understanding of Ireland's heritage for residents and visitors alike; and
- Funding by my Department to support the work of National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) in developing arts projects in second level schools.
A full list of capital and current payments made by my Department is available on the website at www.dahg.gov.ie.
240. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the degree to which her Department continues to offer assistance towards the preservation of heritage buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32689/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe scope for funding for the conservation of the built heritage is currently constrained by the significant reduction in the public finances. Nonetheless, the competing priorities regarding the preservation and enhancement of the national heritage are kept under on-going review having regard to the resources available to my Department.
In 2015, under the Structures at Risk Fund, an allocation of €624,000 was available, to enable conservation works to heritage structures, in both private and public ownership, protected under the Planning and Development Acts 2000, as amended, which are deemed to be at significant risk of deterioration. This fund which is administered through the local authorities encourages the regeneration and reuse of heritage properties and helps to secure the preservation of protected structures which might otherwise be lost. The fund was open to two applications per local authority of which one application may be in respect of a privately-owned building. The amount of funding available per project was subject to a minimum level of €15,000 and a maximum level of €60,000. Since 2011, in excess of 130 structures have been safeguarded for the future as a result of the Structures at Risk Fund.
In 2014 my Department was provided with a once-off allocation of €5m Capital Stimulus funding for a new Built Heritage Jobs Leverage Scheme to assist with works to safeguard structures, in private and civic ownership, protected under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. A total of €15 million was invested in 540 historic structures across the country and information provided by the local authorities show that 175 jobs were created as a result of this scheme. The future operation of the scheme is subject to funding being made available to my Department.
The Historic Towns Initiative (HTI) which was a joint undertaking by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, in partnership with the Heritage Council and Fáilte Ireland to promote the heritage–led regeneration of Ireland’s historic towns operated as a pilot project in 2013 and concluded in 2014. The operation of a similar scheme in the future is again contingent on dedicated funding being made available to my Department.
