Written Answers Nos. 241 -250
241. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which various filmmakers continue to be attracted to filming on location here; whether she is satisfied regarding the adequacy of facilities available for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32690/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am satisfied that Ireland continues to be an attractive location for filmmakers, as witnessed by the recent filming carried out for Star Wars in Co. Kerry. The Government considers the audio-visual industry to be very important and, in addition to the excellent work of the Irish Film Board, continues to support the growth of the sector in other ways. In particular, section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 - the Film Tax Relief Scheme - has undergone a number of improvements, which took effect at the start of this year. The changes have been well received. The intention is to ensure that Ireland remains competitive in attracting film projects. The Film Tax Relief Scheme has been extended to the end of 2020 and I am confident that this will increase the attractiveness of Ireland as a destination for film investment and allow the audio-visual production sector to maintain existing jobs and create new ones.
In terms of studio infrastructure, I am aware of a number of proposals by the sector to increase the facilities available here. In addition, an Interdepartmental Group on the Audio-visual Sector has been established to examine and report on recommendations to increase foreign and domestic investment in Ireland’s film and TV sound stage studio infrastructure in the face of growing demand for audio-visual content across multiple platforms. The Group reports to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Jobs. Work is ongoing and a number of proposals are currently under consideration to continue to assist the development of the audio-visual sector.
242. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she is aware of the threat of the sale of paintings or other objets d'art, the sale of which might be regarded as being detrimental to the retention of such items within the State; whether any arrangement can be entered into to prevent such valuable items from being disposed of and exported overseas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32691/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt should be noted that the sale, export and import of artefacts is a normal part of trade and that Ireland has benefitted over the years from artistic works which have been imported into the State. In terms of keeping objects of importance within the State, generous tax relief is provided under section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidated Act 1997 for donations to approved bodies of heritage items that are considered outstanding examples of their type, whose export from the State would constitute a diminution of the accumulated cultural heritage of Ireland. Under this Scheme, 80% of the market value of the item(s) donated is offset against the current tax liability of the donor. This scheme has allowed the retention of a significant number of artworks within the State which otherwise might have been exported.
In terms of other controls, sections 49 and 50 of the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997 deal with the licensing for export of articles such as documents, paintings and archaeological objects. The issuing of licences for art works is a function of the National Gallery in accordance with powers delegated by me, as Minister, under the Act. These provisions do not prevent the export of such objects. The view has been taken, when these issues have been considered in the past, that the Constitutional protection afforded to property limits the action which can be taken to prevent the export of private property. However, my Department is continuing to examine wider issues in relation to export licences for the longer-term.
244. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht whether all aspects of the 1916 commemorations have been agreed with the various local and national voluntary and statutory bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32693/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme was launched in the National Museum, Collins Barracks, on 31st March 2015 and planning is well underway in relation to the activities, events and initiatives set out under each of the seven strands of the programme. One of the core objectives of the programme is to encourage and facilitate participation by, and the inclusion of, the citizens of Ireland to the greatest extent possible in the programme of events to commemorate this significant centenary. Officials in the 2016 Project Office in my Department have undertaken an extensive consultation process across the Government, State agency and community and voluntary sectors to progress the development of detailed plans for 2016 and the response has been very positive.
In particular, the Deputy may wish to note that the 'Community Participation' strand of the programme is being led by local authorities across the country. Each local authority has appointed a steering committee and a dedicated co-ordinator to drive plans to commemorate the centenary of the 1916 Rising at county level in line with the national plans for 'Ireland 2016'. Local authorities have led an extensive programme of local consultation with interested groups and community organisations, historical societies, schools and youth organisations, relatives of those who took part in the events of 1916, and other interested parties to facilitate and assist in the development of initiatives for 2016. Sporting bodies and other community and voluntary organisations such as the GAA, Credit Unions and Tidy Town Committees will also play a key role.
I very much appreciate the enthusiasm with which local authorities and local communities have engaged with this process. To date, over 83 public consultations, facilitated by the local authorities, have taken place nationwide. Arising from this, 31 individual local authority plans will be launched in October. I have allocated €1 million in 2015 in current funding to support this process.
Meetings have also taken place with other key Departments, agencies and interested parties and my Department's Ireland 2016 Project Office is engaging with bodies such as the National Cultural Institutions, the Arts Council and the Heritage Council to ensure that a comprehensive and diverse programme for 2016 is developed. My Department is also engaging actively with representatives of the various relatives groups, as well as with individual relatives, to hear their views on the overall programme and to ensure that they will have a central role in a number of the key State events.
Further information in relation to the various events, activities and initiatives taking place in each county will be detailed in the upcoming county plans and will be available online at my Department’s dedicated website www.ireland.ie.
245. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she anticipates the use of the arts and Ireland’s heritage as a means of promoting our national image at home and abroad, with the consequent economic benefit throughout all aspects of the economy; her views regarding particular proposals or promotions in this regard, such as the marketing of historic sites relating to events, and encouraging a greater awareness of our rich culture and heritage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32694/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraOur cultural heritage, which encompasses the arts, our cultural institutions and our natural and built heritage, is vital to our national identity and well-being. As well as being of vital intrinsic importance and a great source of national pride, our cultural heritage is also a major source of employment and economic activity and is key to promoting Ireland's image abroad and attracting inward investment. A society that values the arts is a more successful and prosperous one. I am committed to enabling support for, and access to, the arts, culture and Ireland's rich heritage for Irish people and visitors alike. A core objective for me, therefore, is to sustain and support these sectors, while seeking to promote and maximise their societal and economic potential. Our rich heritage, unique habitats, diverse artistic and cultural sectors and, of course, our national cultural institutions all have a key role to play in this regard.
The Programme for Government, along with my Department's Statement of Strategy, has the overall goal of promoting and developing Ireland's world-class artistic and creative strengths at home and abroad, while maximising their societal, economic and reputational value for the country. Developing a national cultural policy is central to these aims.
My Department is currently working on Culture 2025, the first ever such policy in Ireland. Culture 2025 will set out the Government's high-level aims and policies in the area of culture for the period up to 2025 and my Department has commenced the engagement in a nationwide consultation process on the development of the policy. I look forward to working further with the all interested parties as part of that process.
247. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of applications received under the structures at risk fund from each local authority for the years 2011 to 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32703/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra248. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide a breakdown of the funds allocated to each local authority; and the details for each project funded from 2011 to 2015. [32704/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra249. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department has sought any feedback from each local authority regarding implementation of the structures at risk fund, further to its reintroduction in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32705/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra250. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason an application under the structures at risk fund for a business (details supplied) in County Louth was deemed unsuccessful; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32706/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 247 to 250, inclusive together.
The Structures at Risk Fund 2015, with an allocation of €624,000, will enable conservation works to twenty-eight heritage structures, in both private and public ownership, throughout the country, which are protected under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. The amount of funding available per project was subject to a minimum level of €15,000 and a maximum level of €60,000. This Fund is being administered by the local authorities and was open to two applications per local authority, of which one application may be in respect of a privately-owned building. Since 2011, in excess of 130 structures have been safeguarded for the future as a result of the Structures at Risk Fund. A review of the operation of the Structures at Risk Fund was carried out in 2013 prior to its reintroduction in 2015.
With regard to the operation of the Structures at Risk Fund, it is primarily a matter for the local authority to nominate its two applications to my Department. It is also a matter for each local authority to prioritise applications for consideration under the fund. Louth County Council submitted two applications, neither of which was for the building referred to in the Deputy’s Question. Given competing priorities and the level of applications received in 2015, my Department allocated funding to those projects that were deemed in most need and that complied with the relevant criteria as requested in the call for submissions. Details of structures awarded funding are available on my Department’s website www.ahg.gov.ie.
Since 2011, my Department has provided the following funding under the Structures at Risk Fund as set out in the following tables.
Table 1: No of Applications received from each local authority from 2011-2015:
|
Local Authority |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2015 |
|
Carlow |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Cavan |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Clare |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Cork City Council |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Cork |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Donegal |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
Dublin City Council |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Fingal |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Galway City |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
Galway |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Kerry |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Kildare |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
Kilkenny |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Laois |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Leitrim |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Limerick City |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
Limerick |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Longford |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Louth |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Mayo |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Meath |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Monaghan |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
North Tipperary |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
South Tipperary |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Offaly |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Roscommon |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Sligo |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
South Dublin |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Waterford City |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
Waterford |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Westmeath |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Wexford |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Wicklow |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Local Authority |
Name of Structure |
Amount Funded |
|
Cavan |
Former See House, Kilmore Upper |
€20,000 |
|
Clare |
McParland’s Shop, Ennis |
€85,000 |
|
Cork |
Thatched House, Curraghgorm |
€6,725 |
|
Cork |
Fort Camden |
€20,000 |
|
Cork City |
Former Hive Ironworks Building |
€30,000 |
|
Dublin City |
Aldborough House |
€80,587 |
|
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown |
Sacred Heart Oratory |
€10,000 |
|
Galway |
Portumna Courthouse |
€15,000 |
|
Galway |
Ballymore House |
€30,000 |
|
Galway City |
Mincloon Cottage |
€8,000 |
|
Galway City |
Bushy Park |
€8,000 |
|
Kerry |
Tarbert Bridewell |
€10,000 |
|
Kerry |
Cloghers Gate Lodge |
€15,000 |
|
Kilkenny |
Ringville |
€12,000 |
|
Laois |
St. Peter's Church of Ireland |
€35,000 |
|
Leitrim |
Drumkeeran Church of Ireland |
€10,000 |
|
Limerick |
Croagh Medieval Church |
€20,000 |
|
Limerick |
Ballydonnell House |
€8,000 |
|
Longford |
St. Paul's Church of Ireland, Newtownforbes |
€15,000 |
|
Louth |
1-7 The Village, Ballymascanlon |
€15,000 |
|
Mayo |
The Imperial Hotel, Castlebar |
€20,000 |
|
Meath |
Gormanston Cottage |
€8,000 |
|
Meath |
Knock Cottage |
€8,000 |
|
Roscommon |
Knockranny House |
€20,000 |
|
Sligo |
Hazlewood House |
€45,000 |
|
South Dublin |
Palmerstown Weir |
€20,000 |
|
South Tipperary |
33-34 O Connell Street, Clonmel |
€20,000 |
|
Westmeath |
Market Square, Kilbeggan |
€20,000 |
|
Westmeath |
St Bigseach's Church, Kilbixy |
€20,000 |
|
Wicklow |
Massey Cottage |
€8,000 |
|
Local Authority |
Name of Structure |
Amount Funded |
|
Carlow |
Borris House |
€7,000 |
|
Cavan |
Cavan Parish Church |
€7,500 |
|
Cavan |
St. Mary's Church, Crosserlough |
€7,500 |
|
Clare |
Byrnes Shop |
€10,000 |
|
Cork City |
61 Shandon Street, Cork City |
€10,000 |
|
Cork |
Alms Houses, Glanmire |
€15,000 |
|
Dublin City |
65 and 66 Mountjoy Square |
€15,000 |
|
Dublin City |
Abbey Presbyterian Church |
€15,000 |
|
Fingal |
Glasshouse, Ardgillan House, Ardgillan Demesne |
€15,000 |
|
Galway City |
Ballinfoyle, Headford Road. |
€7,000 |
|
Kerry |
Castleview House, Castleisland |
€10,000 |
|
Kerry |
Glanleam House, Glanleam, Valentia Island |
€10,000 |
|
Kildare |
Monasterevin Charter School |
€45,000 |
|
Kildare |
Clane Friary Walls |
€10,000 |
|
Leitrim |
Manorhamilton Castle |
€4,000 |
|
Limerick City |
Irish Town Medieval House (O'Currys Street) |
€15,000 |
|
Limerick |
The Old Church of Ireland, Caherconlish |
€10,000 |
|
Longford |
St. Catherine's Church of Ireland, Ballymacormick |
€5,000 |
|
Longford |
Former St. Mary's Cistercian Abbey, Abbeyshrule |
€5,000 |
|
Louth |
Rokeby Hall, Grangebellew |
€10,000 |
|
Louth |
Essexford Glebe (formerly Kilanney Glebe) |
€9,500 |
|
Mayo |
Foxford Parish Church, Foxford |
€10,000 |
|
Mayo |
Milford House, Kilmaine |
€10,000 |
|
Meath |
Annesbrook, Duleek |
€15,000 |
|
Meath |
St. Patrick's Classical School, Finian's Terrace, Navan |
€20,000 |
|
North Tipperary |
Ardcroney Church and Castle |
€15,000 |
|
North Tipperary |
Lisbunny Church |
€10,000 |
|
Offaly |
Former Estate Workers Cottage, Geashill |
€10,000 |
|
Offaly |
Annabrook House, Shinrone |
€15,000 |
|
Roscommon |
Killinovoy House, Knockcroghery |
€10,000 |
|
Roscommon |
Stations of the Cross memorials, St. Colman's Graveyard, Ardsallagh Beg |
€8,000 |
|
Sligo |
Ahamlish Church of Ireland |
€10,000 |
|
South Tipperary |
Cappawhite Church, Chapel Street, Cappawhite |
€15,000 |
|
South Tipperary |
The Tholsel, Main Street, Fethard |
€25,500 |
|
Waterford City |
Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Barronstrand |
€20,000 |
|
Waterford |
Curraghmore Courtyard Phase 2, Curraghmore, Portlaw |
€10,000 |
|
Waterford |
Kilronan Church, Ballymacarby |
€15,000 |
|
Westmeath |
Market Square, Kilbeggan (two houses) |
€10,000 |
|
Wexford |
Mountgarret Castle |
€15,000 |
|
Wicklow |
Aghowle Cottage, Ashford |
€7,000 |
|
Wicklow |
Carnew Castle Wall |
€7,000 |
|
Local Authority |
Name of Structure |
Amount Funded |
|
Carlow |
Adelaide Memorial Church, Myshall |
€40,000 |
|
Clare |
Adelphi House, Clifden, Corofin |
€30,000 |
|
Cork City Council |
Skiddy’s Almhouse, Shandon, Co. Cork |
€30,000 |
|
Cork City Council |
Boole House, 5 Grenville Place, Cork City |
€25,000 |
|
Cork |
St. Mary's Collegiate Church, Emmet Place, Youghal |
€20,000 |
|
Cork |
Bantry House, Bantry |
€15,000 |
|
Donegal |
Killymard Old Church, Haugh, Donegal Town |
€25,000 |
|
Dublin City |
130 Thomas Street, Dublin 8 |
€40,000 |
|
Fingal |
Old Kilbush House, Kilbush, Rush, Co. Dublin |
€30,000 |
|
Galway City |
Cooke's Bar, 2 Newcastle Road, Galway |
€15,000 |
|
Galway |
Gort Library, Queen Street, Gort |
€15,000 |
|
Kerry |
Belleville House, Lateeve, Portmagee |
€25,000 |
|
Kildare |
Nuns Graveyard, Sallins |
€19,000 |
|
Kilkenny |
Pleasure House/Tea House, Bateman Quay, Kilkenny |
€15,000 |
|
Laois |
Fisherman's Thatched Inn, Fishertown, Ballybrittas |
€15,000 |
|
Laois |
Dun Naoise, The Square, Durrow, Co. Laois |
€20,000 |
|
Limerick City and County |
Thatched House, Ballydoorty, Castlemahon |
€15,000 |
|
Limerick City and County |
Mungret College, Dromdarrig |
€20,000 |
|
Mayo |
Bridge House, North Mall, Westport |
€25,000 |
|
Meath |
Agher Church, Rathmoylan |
€15,000 |
|
Monaghan |
Hope Castle Gate Lodge, Hope Castle Demesne, Castleblaney |
€40,000 |
|
Offaly |
Charleville Stables, Charleville, Tullamore |
€30,000 |
|
Offaly |
Busherstown House, Busherstown |
€15,000 |
|
Sligo |
Former School House, Christchurch, Beltra, Sligo |
€15,000 |
|
Tipperary |
Mountain Lodge, Burncourt, Cahir |
€15,000 |
|
Tipperary |
Modeshill Church, Modeshill, Mullinahone |
€15,000 |
|
Waterford City and County |
Thatched House, Kilcannon (Hely), Cappagh |
€15,000 |
|
Wexford |
Ballysampson, Killinick |
€25,000 |
