Written Answers Nos. 299-318
299. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht if choirs can resume indoor rehearsals with appropriate and robust social distancing in place. [25075/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraGuidance for organised indoor events/gatherings in controlled environments is set out in the Resilience and Recovery Plan for Living with COVID-19 which is a cross-government approach to managing the pandemic for the coming months. Information on this Plan can be accessed at this link https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/resilience-recovery-2020-2021-plan-for-living-with-covid-19/
The Government has decided that the entire county of Dublin will be placed on Level 3 of the Framework for Restrictive Measures from midnight last Friday. Dublin will remain at Level 3 for a period of 3 weeks, until Friday 9 October, at which point the situation will be reviewed by the Government. Further information can be viewed at the following link https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/cf1f3-special-measures-in-place-for-dublin/
This guidance states that no organised indoor gatherings should take place in Dublin.
The rest of Ireland is currently at Level 2. The guidance states that at Level 2 organised indoor gatherings in controlled environments with a named event organiser, owner or manager - for example: business, training events, conferences, events in theatres and cinemas or other arts events (excluding sport) - can have up to 50 patrons in pods or groups of up to 6 if appropriate, with arrangements to ensure no intermingling of groups. Up to 100 patrons are permitted for larger venues where strict 2 metre seated social distancing and one-way controls for entry and exit can be implemented.
For very large purpose built event facilities (for example: stadia, auditoriums, conference or event centres) specific guidance will be developed with the relevant sectors to take account of size and different conditions for larger events.” (https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/18e18-level-2/#organised-indoor-gatherings)
304. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht the reason she has not met with an association (details supplied) in view of ongoing requests for a meeting from the body; and if she will meet directly with the association. [25277/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI met with the Event Industry Alliance on 2 September. The association to which the Deputy refers is a constituent member of the Alliance.
305. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht the names of those sitting on the Taskforce for the Night-time Economy; the number of meetings held to date; the dates of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25299/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI announced the establishment and composition of the Night time Economy Taskforce on 30 July 2020. The aim of the Taskforce is to look at innovative approaches to supporting and developing a vibrant, diverse night time culture and economy in Ireland. Key Departments, Agencies and relevant groups are represented on this Taskforce at senior level as well as the Lord Mayors of Cork and Dublin and Mr. Sunil Sharpe from Give us the Night. The Taskforce members are detailed below:
Members of the Night-Time Economy Task Force
|
1 |
Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and Gaeltacht |
Mr Conor Falvey |
|
2 |
Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and Gaeltacht |
Ms Sinéad Copeland |
|
3 |
Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and Gaeltacht |
Ms Deirdre Currivan |
|
4 |
Department of Justice |
Ms Clare Brosnan |
|
5 |
Department of Justice |
Mr Deaglán Ó’Briain |
|
6 |
Department of Climate Action and Transport |
Ms Leslie Carberry |
|
7 |
Department of Climate Action and Transport |
Mr Éanna Ó Conghaile |
|
8 |
Department of Rural and Community Development |
Mr JP Mulherin |
|
9 |
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
Mr Colin Ryan |
|
10 |
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment |
Ms Deborah Dignam |
|
11 |
National Transport Authority |
Ms Anne Graham |
|
12 |
An Garda Síochána |
Assistant Commissioner Anne-Marie Cagney |
|
13 |
Fáilte Ireland |
Mr Paul Keeley |
|
14 |
Give us the Night |
Mr Sunil Sharpe |
|
15 |
Chair of CNCI (Council of National Cultural Institutions) |
Mr Seán Rainbird |
|
16 |
Arts Council |
Ms Maureen Kennelly |
|
17 |
Chair of Local Authority Arts Officers |
Ms Jenny Sherwin |
|
18 |
Chair of the County and City Management Association |
Mr Michael Walsh |
|
19 |
Lord Mayor of Dublin |
Mayor Hazel Chu |
|
20 |
Lord Mayor of Cork |
Mayor Joe Kavanagh |
The first meeting of the Taskforce is due to take place on 29th September 2020.
307. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht the status of the July stimulus; the way in which she has assisted the recovery of the arts and entertainment sector; her plans to expand the recovery taskforce to include more industry representation from the sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25375/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe arts and culture sectors have been severely impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; cultural venues and events were among the first to be closed in the country’s public health response to the crisis, and they will be among the last to recover. I am eager to get our musicians, our performers and all their behind-the-scenes technical support people back to earning a living and doing what they do so well, as Irish society needs live performance and events
The Jobs Stimulus package includes a range of measures to support the sector as follows:
- The culture and audio visual sectors will benefit from a new €10 million pilot “Performance and Production Support Package” to support the live performance and the audiovisual production sector. Under this funding package, a new scheme "Live Performance Support Scheme" has been be put in place to assist venues and promoters of live performances in music and theatre, by helping to de-risk the costs of preparing for new productions which may subsequently have to be postponed or cancelled. Also under this package, an audiovisual scheme will be put in place to assist the film and TV drama sector. These pilot schemes have been designed in consultation with the sectors, and aim to build confidence in recommencing production, rehearsals and event planning now for the months ahead.
- A further €2 million will also be available for the next round Sound and Vision for the audiovisual sector. Broadcasting has played a vital role in providing reliable news and information to citizens throughout the COVID-19 crisis, and in bringing together local communities.
- The additional funding to this sector comes on top of other supports made this year totalling €13.2m. A €3 million TV Drama Fund administered by Screen Ireland will support the production of new Irish TV drama content in line with the Government’s Audiovisual Action Plan , and will grow the sector, firmly placing creativity at the centre of Irish government policy.
- In addition, the Jobs Stimulus has provided a new €10 million Culture Fund, which will include increased funding for Creative Ireland, to employ artists through the Creative Youth and Creative Communities programmes, funding to support the commissioning of artists to produce creative content for the national broadcast, a dedicated fund for musicians, recognising the particular difficulties being experienced by music performers across a range of genres and funding for Ealaíon na Gaeltachta for new artists’ bursaries and arts activities in Gaeltacht schools.
- A further capital funding of up to €6 million is also being made available to accelerate the redevelopment and renewal of our National Cultural Institutions envisaged under the National Development Plan.
I have also recently announced the membership of the Arts and Culture Recovery Task Force, which will meet for the first time today. The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the arts and culture sectors. Live performances, theatre, music and events have all but disappeared from society. Identifying ways of preserving and re-establishing this once-vibrant, heart-warming and magical sector will be a mammoth task. The membership of the Task Force that I am appointing holds a wealth of experience and talent and I have no doubt that collectively they will rise to the challenge. The sector includes culture, the arts, the audiovisual industry and the live entertainment industry.
Clare Duignan is chairing the Task Force and the other members are:
- Arts Council
- Business to Arts
- Council of the National Cultural Institutions
- County and City Management Association (CCMA)
- Department of Health
- Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht
- Department of Social Protection
- Ealaín na Gaeltachta
- Events Industry Alliance
- Irish Congress of Trade Unions
- National Campaign for the Arts
- Irish Music Rights Organisation
- Irish Theatre Institute
- Screen Ireland
- Screen Producers Ireland
- Denise Chaila
- Martin Hayes
The Taskforce will prepare a report including a set of recommendations on how best the arts and culture sector can adapt and recover from the unprecedented damage arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and I look forward to receiving this. Taking as its starting point, the research and evidence of the devastating impact of the pandemic on the sector compiled by the Department, the Arts Council and other stakeholders, the Taskforce will:-
- adopt a solution-focused approach;
- seek sector-specific expert input and consult with stakeholders;
- invite additional individuals or expertise to attend meetings on an ad hoc basis, as it deems necessary;
- focus on providing intelligence and recommendations for an expected on-going and varying impact of COVID-19 restrictions;
- identify immediate and medium term goals for recovery and sustainability in the sector;
- identify possible policy initiatives or impediments to a robust sustainable recovery in the sector;
- recommend whole of Government policy initiatives and actions to support the sector;
- Produce a report by the 31 October 2020 in order to provide the Government with an action-plan for the sector.
308. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht when she expects her full Ministerial briefing paper to be available and published on her Department’s website [25408/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe briefing material referred to by the Deputy is available on my Department’s website at https://www.chg.gov.ie/about/corporate-publications/.
309. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht when the new applications will open for the next round of sports capital funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25432/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Sports Capital Programme (SCP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. The new Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCP and to prioritising the investment in disadvantaged areas.
The most recent (2018) round of the SCP attracted a record 2,337 applications. Allocations were announced in January, May and November of last year with a total of over €56 million awarded to 1,648 different projects. All unsuccessful applicants were given the opportunity to appeal the Department’s decision. In relation to the capital grants announced in November, a total of 122 appeals were submitted by the December deadline. The review of these appeals was completed in April with 6 new allocations approved. The priority to date this year has been to advance all of these projects to ensure the facilities are available for use and that the relevant grants are drawn down.
In relation to future grants, following the finalisation of the appeals process, a full Review of the 2018 round of the SCP was undertaken. This Review has now been complete and the terms and conditions of the next round of the programme will be based on the recommendations in the Review. Work on these terms and conditions is now being finalised and a new round of the programme will be open for applications before the end of the year with an announcement in this regard expected in the coming weeks.
310. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht if she will introduce a grants scheme for local football clubs to cover ongoing running and administrative expenses in view of the fact that their capacity to raise funds during the Covid-19 pandemic is very limited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25445/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraA funding package of up to €70 million was announced on 19th June to support the sport sector, which has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The funding package will be administered by Sport Ireland, which is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport. This funding package includes;
- Funding of up to €40m for the three main field sports organisations – the FAI, the GAA and the IRFU.
- a Resilience Fund of up to €10m to support the National Governing Bodies of Sport,
- a Sports Club Resilience Fund of up to €15m to support clubs, and
- a Sports Restart and Renewal Fund of up to €5m.
The funding will be administered by Sport Ireland and will be invested through new grant schemes with Sport Ireland’s recognised funding partners, i.e. National Governing Bodies of Sport, Local Sports Partnerships and other funded sporting organisations.
The closing date for applications to be submitted to Sport Ireland from funded organisations was Monday 14 September. It is anticipated that an announcement of funding allocations will be made by Sport Ireland in October, dependent on the level of applications received.
Sport Ireland will engage directly with the Football Association of Ireland in respect of grant funding for the association and its affiliated clubs under these grant funding schemes.
311. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht if funding of €500,000 will be urgently made available to a centre (details supplied) in order to complete vital work needed to progress the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25453/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department allocated €2 million to the project referred to by the Deputy. In 2019, the local authority informed my Department that all funds were in place to proceed with the project. Once all relevant documents were received to confirm this, the Department provided authorisation to proceed with the project.
The conditions of the grant are detailed in a signed Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the Department and the Local Authority. A copy of the SLA can be found on the Department’s website in which the Local Authority undertakes to meet any unforeseen expenditure in this project.
https://www.chg.gov.ie/arts/creative-arts/service-level-agreements/service-level-agreements-between-the-department-and-grantees-in-receipt-of-capital-funding-of-e1m-or-greater/
312. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht the amount drawn down by the three main sports from the special Covid-19 assistance fund as announced in July 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25487/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra313. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht the amount paid out to sporting groups from the special fund as announced in July 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25488/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 313 together.
A funding package of up to €70 million was announced on 19th June to support the sport sector, which has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The funding package will be administered by Sport Ireland, which is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport. This funding package includes;
- Funding of up to €40m for the three main field sports organisations – the FAI, the GAA and the IRFU.
- a Resilience Fund of up to €10m to support the National Governing Bodies of Sport,
- a Sports Club Resilience Fund of up to €15m to support clubs, and
- a Sports Restart and Renewal Fund of up to €5m.
The funding is being administered by Sport Ireland and will be invested through new grant schemes with Sport Ireland’s recognised funding partners, i.e. National Governing Bodies of Sport, Local Sports Partnerships and other funded sporting organisations.
No funding has yet been disbursed by Sport Ireland under the new grant schemes. Sport Ireland issued application forms for assistance under the grant schemes direct to funded bodies on 27th July. The closing date for applications was 14th September. It is anticipated that an announcement of funding allocations will be made by Sport Ireland in October.
In addition to this funding scheme, I announced a special fund of €2.5 million as part of the July Jobs Stimulus to support the reopening of publicly accessible swimming pools in recognition of the particular challenges pool operators face in reopening to the public. This funding is also being administered by Sport Ireland. Sport Ireland is currently finalising the grant scheme. Full details of the scheme and the application process will be announced shortly.
314. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht the amount allocated to promote the tourism potential of County Kildare following the recent lockdown; the organisations that received funding; the amount received by each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25489/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra315. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht the amount allocated to promote the tourism potential of County Laois from following the recent lockdown; the organisations that received funding; the amount received by each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25490/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra316. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht the amount allocated to promote the tourism potential of County Offaly following the recent lockdown; the organisations that received funding; the amount received by each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25491/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 314, 315 and 316 together.
Following the introduction of specific public health measures in Kildare, Laois and Offaly the Government made additional funding available to Fáilte Ireland, to undertake a promotional campaign focused on increasing the appeal of these counties to visitors and drive bookings. The administration of this funding is an operational matter for the board and management of Fáilte Ireland. Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy's question to Fáilte Ireland for further information and direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
317. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht if she has had discussions with other Departments on assisting professional tour guides during the Covid-19 pandemic; if consideration has been given to an assistance package; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25492/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am acutely aware of how badly impacted professional tourist guides have been by the COVID-19 crisis due to the lack of international tourists. Tourist guides provide a vital service to the tourism industry. They are important ambassadors in the tourism experience, promoting our excellent tourism product and we will need them when our overseas visitors return.
The July Stimulus measures are a significant part of our response to the COVID-19 crisis and will help ensure Ireland’s businesses get back on their feet and as many people as possible can return to work, when it is safe to do so. These measures were in addition to other Governments supports already in place. They provide supports for businesses to retain existing jobs and to create new jobs, and they will help build confidence in consumers and communities all over Ireland.
The Tourism Recovery Taskforce is expected to publish its Final Recovery Plan in the coming weeks and I will consider its recommendations in the context of the Budget and the development of the National Economic Plan, at which point the Government will review and refine existing supports, and consider any further necessary measures required as a consequence of COVID-19.
318. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht the amount of aid allocated to tourist information centres within the past six months by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25501/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue raised by the Deputy is a matter for the board and management of Fáilte Ireland. Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy's question to Fáilte Ireland for further information and direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
