Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2021
499. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the total allocation for her Department in 2021 broken down under the headings Core, Brexit and Covid-19 funding; the amount of that funding that has been spent to date; the amount expected to be spent by the end of 2021; and the funding that will be carried over to 2022, in tabular form. [31063/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe gross total allocation for my Department in 2021 is €1,081,818,000. Details of all allocations are set out by programme area and by subhead in the Revised Estimates Volume 2021 (REV2021) published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on its website at www.gov.ie/en/collection/e20037-revised-estimates
REV2021 allocations recognise the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the sectors under the aegis of my Department as well as the impact of BREXIT – they also reflect the commitments contained in the Programme for Government – Our Shared Future . However, there is no specific categorisation of funding allocations within programme areas other than by subhead.
A number of schemes will be implemented in 2021 in direct response to the COVID-19 Pandemic - these include:
- €50m in respect of a Business Continuity Fund being administered by Fáilte Ireland;
- €50m in respect of a variety of supports for the Live Entertainment sector including a 2021 iteration of the very successful 2020 Pilot Live Performance Support Scheme (LPSS) and the recently announced Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme (MEBAS);
- €15m in supports for sports and recreation services via Sport Ireland.
The Government's response to the impact of the pandemic on the sector and the economy generally is comprised of a broad range of supports delivered across a range of Departments. In addition to direct intervention measures introduced by my Department the Government has ensured the availability of horizontal supports that are critical to the survival of many in our sectors. These include the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) and the Small Business Assistance Scheme for Covid (SBASC), all of which continue to be key to supporting all sectors thorough this crisis.
Details of all expenditure by my Department and all Government departments are published by the Department of Finance on a monthly basis at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/c1b65-fiscal-monitors-2021/
Total gross voted expenditure for my Department to 31 May 2021 amounts to €273.68m. This figure is provisional as all expenditure within my Department's Vote is subject to an ongoing internal verification and monitoring process to ensure the best use of available financial resources. Adjustments may fall to be made between subheads as part of this process and all figures are subject to audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
While it is too early to accurately forecast the full end of year outturn, I can advise that no significant savings are envisaged at present. All expenditure within my Department's vote will continue to be carefully monitored between now and year end to ensure the best use of available financial resources.
