Written Answers Nos. 248-262
248. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she expects growth to take place in the tourism sector in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10751/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland estimate that overseas tourism to Ireland in 2022 could return to approximately 70% of 2019 levels. This is based on the current air access outlook which suggests that seat capacity in 2022 will be 83% of 2019 levels.
While international tourism remains uncertain, domestic tourism continues to drive recovery of the sector in an increasing number of destinations. According to experts, domestic tourism and travel close to home, as well as open-air activities, nature-based products and rural tourism are among the major travel trends that will continue shaping tourism in 2022. Fáilte Ireland estimate that Irish domestic tourism could return to 2019 levels in 2022. This is based on the strong performance of the home market during the pandemic and the pent-up demand they are seeing.
In Budget 2022, the Government allocated €67.6m in additional funding for tourism, thereby bringing the overall tourism services budget to €288m. This funding will enable the tourism agencies to assist in the recovery of the sector. The funding allocated to the tourism agencies in 2022 includes €50 million for further business continuity support for strategic tourism businesses and a €35m increase in the Tourism Marketing Fund as well as €36.5 in capital funding for tourism product development.
Tourism Ireland will invest over €80 million in an extensive programme of promotional activity in key international markets throughout 2022, while Fáilte Ireland are doubling their domestic marketing investment in 2022 to €10 million to drive domestic demand including short breaks all year round.
I can assure the Deputy that I am continuing to work closely with the sector, the Tourism Recovery Oversight Group and with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, to ensure a sustainable recovery for the sector in the context of the pandemic.
249. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she and her Department propose to support and promote the tourism sector at home and abroad in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10752/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the tourism sector has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic so I was pleased to secure a record level of funding for tourism in Budget 2022 of €288.5 million in total, an increase of €67.5 million over the 2021 allocation. The allocation includes €50 million for business continuity supports and a €35 million increase to the Tourism Marketing Fund to support the delivery of a marketing strategy to help restore inbound tourism to Ireland.
With regard to the Tourism Business Continuity Programme, this funding will be allocated to assist strategic tourism businesses to recover in 2022. The Strategic Tourism Transport Business Continuity Scheme opened for applications on 11th January and closed on 8th February. The Strategic Ireland Based Inbound Agents Tourism Business Continuity Scheme opened for applications on 12th January and closed on 9th February. The Attractions and Activity Tourism Operators Business Continuity Scheme will launch on 8th March with the Tourism Accommodation Providers Business Continuity Scheme launching on 9th March.
Tourism Ireland will invest over €80 million in an extensive programme of promotional activity in key international markets throughout 2022. Its Green Button campaign will drive demand throughout the year, with its largest-ever TV campaign running in our top four markets, namely Great Britain, the United States, Germany and France.
Tourism Ireland will continue to work with airlines and ferry companies through a programme of jointly funded marketing initiatives to support the restoration of air and sea access routes which are so vital for tourism’s return to growth.
St Patrick’s Day offers a unique opportunity to promote the island of Ireland around the world and once again this year, hundreds of iconic landmarks and buildings around the world will take part in Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening initiative. This year’s programme will include a new campaign, The Green Button Festival.
Tourism Ireland will also leverage the tourism opportunities presented by a number of key events and global opportunities. These opportunities include "The Aer Lingus College Football Classic", which takes place in Dublin in August.
As part of its ongoing efforts to drive domestic demand in Ireland, Fáilte Ireland is investing approximately €10 million in domestic marketing in 2022, which is a doubling of its investment in this regard. Fáilte Ireland’s consumer research indicates very positive feedback for its Keep Discovering marketing campaign, which is being channelled through TV, Digital, Radio and Press to encourage people to take additional short breaks in all parts of the country. The marketing campaign is designed to both inspire visitors to travel and then offer world-class tourism regions and destinations in Ireland to visit and experience.
Fáilte Ireland is also using its sponsorship of RTÉ Weather as a platform to promote its Keep Discovering campaign. This platform serves as a means to remind viewers of opportunities to take short breaks, such as bank holidays, festivals and events.
I am continuing to work closely with industry representatives, the Tourism Recovery Oversight Group and with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, in supporting the sector through these difficult times and to ensure its sustainable recovery.
250. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the degree to which she and her Department have supported and continued to support the sport and recreational sector through the medium of sports grants or otherwise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10753/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to my Department's responsibilities, three schemes provide capital grant assistance for the development and improvement of sports facilities.
The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) 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. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.1 billion. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritise the investment in disadvantaged areas.
The 2020 round of the Programme closed for applications on 1 March 2021. By this date, 3,106 applications had been submitted seeking over €200 million in funding. This is the highest number of applications ever received.
Approximately one thousand of the submitted applications were for 'equipment-only' projects. These applications were assessed first and grants with a total value of €16.6 million were announced on 6 August 2021. The remaining capital applications were then assessed and 1,865 individual grant offers with a total value of over €143.8 million were announced on Friday 11 February 2022. The priority in the medium term is to progress all of these projects to grant drawdown stage.
In relation to any unsuccessful applications, my Department will be in touch with relevant applicants shortly outlining the procedures which need to be followed to appeal the Department's decision. When the appeals process is complete, a full review of the 2020 round of the SCEP will be undertaken and any recommendations contained therein will be included in the terms and conditions of the next round. The precise timing of this next round of the Programme will be announced once this review is complete.
Funding is also provided by my Department for sports facilities under the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The LSSIF is designed for projects where the grant sought is greater than the maximum available under the SCEP. The first allocations under the LSSIF were announced in January 2020 and thus far, approximately €86.4 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals.
The Department also provides capital support for the construction of swimming pools. In this regard, the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP) provides grant aid towards the capital costs of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. To date 52 pools have been completed and three swimming pool projects (Lucan, Buncrana and Edenderry) remain in the programme. Lucan pool is under construction and is expected to be completed later this year, while both the Buncrana and Edenderry projects are at Contract Documents stage.
Exchequer support for any new swimming pool projects is now being provided under the LSSIF.
In addition to the ongoing support through capital grants for sporting infrastructure, on 13 December 2021, Minister Martin and I announced the allocation of almost €80m for the sport sector under two separate support programmes.
€73.6 million was provided in Covid-19 funding under five separate streams to help sports organisations to recover and grow post-pandemic, support our grassroots networks of clubs and local sports partnerships, and ensure that people of all ages and abilities return to sport and physical activity. A further €5.3 million was allocated to National Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Sports Partnerships for the provision of sports equipment including the roll out of defibrillators for clubs, sport kits for school children and state of the art equipment for our high performance athletes.
In Budget 2022, the Government announced over €181 million in funding for sport this year, an increase of almost €11 million compared to the 2021 Revised Estimate. The current expenditure budget for Sport Ireland this year is €96 million, an increase of over €4 million from 2021. This funding will enable Sport Ireland to continue to support the sport sector as it recovers from the challenges of Covid and will allow continued grant funding support for sporting bodies through Sport Ireland's range of funding programmes.
251. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she and her Department continue to encourage participation in sports in 2022 with particular reference to the necessity to encourage wider participation in the aftermath of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10754/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra252. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she proposes to encourage sporting and recreation activities at local level in 2022; the ongoing expenditure in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10755/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 252 together.
The Winter Initiative is a rolling programme of activities and initiatives that aims to get people back to sport and increase participation in the aftermath of COVID-19. The programme has run successfully over the past few months, with a wide range of activities taking place throughout the sports sector. It has provided National Governing Bodies of Sport with a perfect platform to launch their Autumn and Winter Programmes and will continue up to the end of March.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that at the last count there were over 700 events occurring under the Winter Initiative. 66 National Governing Bodies of Sport are participating, as are all 29 Local Sports Partnerships. Details on the events that are taking place can be found on the website of Sport Ireland, and through the respective organisations running the events. It is my intention that a similar programme will be run next Winter and to that end my Department and Sport Ireland will commence planning in that regard in the coming months.
I have referred the Deputy’s question to Sport Ireland for direct reply in relation to the level of ongoing expenditure being incurred on encouraging sporting activity at local level in 2022. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply is not received within 10 days.
253. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she and her Department are likely to continue to encourage the holding of major international sporting events in Ireland in the course of 2022 and thereafter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10756/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMajor sports events have the potential to drive participation in sport, contribute to tourism, trade, community engagement and economic growth. My Department is responsible for coordinating Government support for potential bids for major international sports events and, in line with the Programme for Government, it is currently developing a Major International Sports Events policy which will guide future Government support for these events.
Over recent years Ireland has won the bids to host Ryder Cup 2027, EURO 2020 and the Women’s Rugby World Cup and engaged in a bid for Rugby World Cup 2023. Ireland has also been selected as the preferred co-host for the 2030 T20 Cricket World Cup. In regard to a potential joint bid to host the 2028 UEFA EURO championships, Minister Martin and I will need to have a clearer understanding of the costs and benefits of jointly hosting the event before making any decision to support a bid. To that end the Department is engaging closely with the FAI in order to better evaluate the case for bidding for Euro 2028 and no commitments have been made at this point.
254. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she and her Department expect to promote Irish culture as a means to use national culture to promote the interests of Ireland at home and abroad in what will be a much more competitive market in the aftermath of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10757/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland aims to increase its global impact through the promotion of Irish arts worldwide, in line with Government's Global Ireland 2025 initiative. Ireland's strong global reputation for creativity brings many benefits to our country including the encouraging of tourism, education and business interests. Representatives from Tourism Ireland, The Arts Council, Screen Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs serve on the Expert Advisory Committee of Culture Ireland and work to ensure that there is a joined up approach to maximise the outcomes from the promotion of Irish artists globally.
Culture Ireland has the primary responsibility for the promotion of Irish arts and artists globally and through its Grant Programmes and special initiatives Culture Ireland works to support the presentation of Irish artists to audiences worldwide. I am delighted that with the lifting of restrictions, I can once again support Irish artists to travel globally to present their work in person.
The upcoming St Patrick's Day period offers an exceptional opportunity to highlight Ireland on the world stage. In addition to Culture Ireland support for artists travelling, there is continuing support for artists to present their work virtually, reaching territories where Irish artists may not generally travel. Next week I will announce a special Culture Ireland programme, SEODA, which is a 5 day online festival of some of Ireland's Irish artists.
At home visitors to Ireland can experience the St Patrick's Festival in person this year as well as a wealth of arts and culture programmes delivered by our National Cultural Institutions and artists and arts organisations with increased funding to the Arts Council and the live performance sector.
I remain cognisant of the fact that the pandemic restrictions posed particular challenges for the arts and culture sector and for 2022 have put in place support of supports for the live entertainment sector in 2022 in addition to record funding for the Arts Council, ensuring Irish arts can be created for presentation nationally and internationally.
255. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the degree to which she proposes to support culture activities throughout 2022 having regard to the need for recovery in the sector in the aftermath of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10758/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFrom January 22nd Government agreed that all remaining restrictions on live entertainment including the 8pm closing and 50% capacity at live events would be lifted. This represents the full reopening of our economy and our society, and is a crucial opportunity to return to work for those who work in the live entertainment and events sector. I am heartened to see so many gigs and live events going ahead at the moment at full capacity, and it is great to see artists and crews back doing what they do best after two very difficult years. I was very cognisant of the challenges the restrictions caused for the arts/culture and live entertainment industry in 2021 and I provided grants of over €55m to support the sector and drive employment opportunities for artists and crews, through the introduction of the following schemes: - Live Performance Support Scheme (LPSS) - Events Sector Covid Support Scheme (ESCSS) - Local Live Performance Support Scheme (LLPSS) - Music and Entertainment Support Scheme (MEBAS) - Commercial Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme (CECGS) - St. Patrick's Festival These schemes provided thousands of hours of employment for artists and crews at a time when restrictions were such that there were no employment opportunities. The schemes also provided a pipeline of high quality artistic output. In 2022 I have put a number of supports in place to support the recovery of the live entertainment sector including the following: - €5m for Live Performance Support Scheme Strand 2 – for pantomime and seasonal musical theatre events curtailed or cancelled in December 2021 and January 2022. Grants of €2.6m have also been offered under the LPSS 2 to date with payments made of almost €600,000;
- €20m for the Live Performance Support Scheme 3 – for events cancelled, curtailed or rescheduled in December 2021 and January 2022. Grants of over €4.6m have been offered to date under LPSS 3 to date with payments made totalling almost €800,000. - €4m for the 2022 Music and Entertainment Support Scheme (MEBAS). Since it opened four weeks ago 672 applications have been received seeking funding of €2.6m, Payments under this scheme will begin this week.
- €5m for the Commercial Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme (CECGS)
In relation to a further round of the Live Performance Support Scheme, my Department is currently examining all options for the proposed scheme and I expect to make an announcement shortly on this matter.
256. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she expects to encourage interest in the arts and Irish culture as means of national recovery in the aftermath of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10759/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra257. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she expects to promote the arts as Covid-19 recedes to ensure that adequate support is made available at local and national level thereby encouraging even greater participation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10760/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra258. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she expects to see appreciable growth in the arts to maximise opportunities and recovery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10761/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 256 to 258, inclusive, together.
The arts and culture sectors under my remit are at the heart of Ireland's identity. The pandemic demonstrated very clearly the critical role they play in social and economic well-being. The resilience of these sectors, in the face of the extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19 has been remarkable, particularly as many were among the first sectors to close and are the last to return to full capacity.
I am greatly heartened at the response to and uptake of the various supports, both horizontal and sectoral, that have been put in place. Recognising that resilience and the hugely important role that these sectors play in Ireland's collective economic and social well-being, I will continue to work with the stakeholders to monitor the evolving situation and to work with my Government colleagues to support these sectors and, with officials and Government colleagues, to support a strong and stable recovery as we emerge from the pandemic.
We all want to see a return to full capacities attending cultural and entertainment events and the rehabilitation of our hard-hit Night-Time Economy.
As a Government, our commitment to the sector is evidenced by recent funding allocations, among them €25m to pilot a Basic Income Scheme for Arts; record Arts Council funding and funding package for the Live Performance Sector.
In the development and delivery of supports, both myself and my officials engage regularly with agencies and stakeholders through a dedicated forum established for this purpose.
Earlier this month I announced the Government’s decision in principle to extend the Creative Ireland Programme until 2027. Creative Ireland was launched in 2017 as an all-of-government culture and wellbeing programme committed to the vision that every person should have the opportunity to realise their full creative potential.
Established as a legacy initiative of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme, Creative Ireland collaborates across government and with arts, community and voluntary organisations to deploy creativity as a strategy for wellbeing, social cohesion and economic success. Alongside its very successful Creative Youth initiative, the programme’s Creative Communities partnership with the 31 local authorities, and their delivery of over 5,700 creative projects to date, has been key to enabling community-led nationwide engagement.
My Department’s Statement of Strategy 2021-2023 published last year sets out the actions that my Department will take over the coming period to enrich the quality of life in Ireland through supporting the development of tourism, culture, arts, sports, media and Irish language. In addition to their immense inherent value, these are valued by all of our communities as important resources for social cohesion, individual and community wellbeing and for the presentation of Ireland as an attractive destination for tourism and sustainable inward investment.
In addition to the core Departmental goals set out in this document, a number of cross cutting-goals have been incorporated into the Department’s objectives which will be reflected in our policies and programmes over the lifetime of this Statement of Strategy including supporting and promoting diversity, social inclusion and full and effective female participation across the Department’s sectors and society in line with Programme for Government commitments.
259. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she and her Department are likely to monitor developments in the media with particular reference to addressing the proliferation of channels involved in promoting physical, mental or sexual violence against those who are deemed to be weaker or in their power; her views on whether the time has come to impose sanctions on such channels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10762/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra260. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she expects to challenge media outlets involved in the glorification of violence against women, children or others deemed to be weaker; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10764/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 260 together.
In regard to the portrayal of violence that may be broadcast in Ireland, under section 42 of the Broadcasting Act 2009, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), as an independent regulator, is required to make codes governing the standards and practices to be observed by broadcasters. The Code of Programme Standards developed by the BAI pursuant to section 42 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 sets out that broadcasters should exercise due care in broadcasting depictions and/or descriptions of violence in programme material. The Code also sets out that broadcasters shall have due regard to the appropriateness of and/or justification for the inclusion of violent content in programme material.
In regard to the portrayal of violence through social media and audiovisual-on-demand media services, the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022 will establish Coimisiún na Meán as a multi-person Media Commission to include an Online Safety Commissioner. It will dissolve the BAI, establish regulatory frameworks for online safety and the regulation of audiovisual media services, and transpose the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
The Bill will amend and extend the duties, codes and rules currently applicable to broadcasters under the Broadcasting Act 2009 to audiovisual-on-demand media services. Accordingly, the Bill will empower Coimisiún na Meán to make codes governing the standards and practices to be observed by both broadcasters and audiovisual-on-demand media services. Under the Bill, An Coimisiún may, in particular, make codes to ensure that programme material relating to gratuitous violence or sexual conduct is presented with due sensitivity to the convictions or feelings of the audience and in such a way that children will not normally hear or see anything which may impair their physical, mental or moral development.
As regards content on other categories of online services, it will be the role of the Online Safety Commissioner to oversee the regulatory framework for online safety. As part of the framework, the Commissioner will devise binding online safety codes that will set out how designated online services, including social media services, are expected to deal with certain defined categories of harmful online content on their platforms.
Among other categories of content, online safety codes will ensure that designated online services take appropriate measures to reduce the availability of offence-specific online content and cyber-bullying material on their services. The full list of offence-specific online content is set out in section 45 of the Bill and includes, for example, relevant offences under Coco’s Law, or the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020. In the case of Coco's Law, it is intended that this will have the effect of reducing the availability, on designated online services, of intimate images which have been shared without consent and of threatening or grossly offensive communications about, or to, another person. In addition to instances of cyber-bullying which would be considered as offence-specific harmful online content, the online safety codes will also address serious cyber-bullying material which is not related to a criminal offence. In contrast to the category relating to offence-specific online content, the non offence-specific categories of content will be subject to a risk of harm test. Accordingly, such content will only be considered harmful online content under the Bill where it gives rise to any risk to a person’s life, or a risk of significant harm to a person’s physical or mental health.
Under the Bill, in the event of a failure to comply with a relevant online safety code, and subject to Court approval, An Coimisiún will have the power to sanction non-compliant online services, including through financial sanctions of up to €20 million or 10% of turnover.
Finally, the Bill will also allow An Coimisiún to create non-binding guidance materials for providers of relevant online services. Such guidance materials may seek to protect children in particular, but also the general public, from harmful online content and age-inappropriate online content. The Bill provides for a definition of age-inappropriate online content which includes, in particular, content which consists of realistic representations of gross or gratuitous violence or acts of cruelty.
261. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she and her Department continue to promote Irish language and culture in Gaeltacht areas throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10765/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 and the accompanying Action Plan for the Irish Language (Plean Gníomhaíochta 2018-2022) represents state policy for the Irish language and Gaeltacht regions.
The Strategy and Action Plan have cross-departmental ownership and, accordingly, responsibility for implementation falls on a number of Government Departments, bodies and Irish language and Gaeltacht organisations. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media is responsible for coordinating its implementation.
The Action Plan and the second annual progress report published in October 2021 - covering the 18 month period from 1 July 2019 to 31 December 2020, present a clear overview of the 180 or so actions being advanced by c. 60 stakeholders in support of the language and Gaeltacht regions.
A copy of the Action Plan, together with the progress report, can be found on the Department's website. The actions set out in the plan are presented around the nine specific areas of action as set out in the overarching strategy. Of particular interest to the Deputy will be Area of Action 2: An Ghaeltacht.
I might also point out that an additional exchequer allocation of €7m has been provided in Budget 2022 for the Irish language and Gaeltacht sectors, ultimately meaning that total funding in excess of €85m is being deployed in support of the Irish language via my Department alone next year.
A budget allocation of €5.8m is being made available in 2022 to support the Language Planning Process. This will enable my Department to fund both Údarás na Gaeltachta and Foras na Gaeilge who are tasked under the Gaeltacht Act 2012 with supporting the language planning process. It will also enable my Department to support, at a central level, organisations which operate in the Early Years and Childhood, Family and Traditional Arts sectors as an additional support to the language planning process.
My Department also provides significant co-funding to Foras na Gaeilge to carry out its statutory mandate under the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999, to promote the Irish language on an all-island basis. This funding, along with funding from the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland, enables Foras na Gaeilge to provide support, advice and financial assistance to many community language groups and to its six lead organisations who are working to promote the Irish language on an all-island basis.
Finally, as the Deputy may be aware, the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 has recently been signed into law. The primary purpose of the Act is to amend the Official Languages Act 2003 with a view to increasing and improving the provision of public services through the Irish language. The systematic implementation of the Act will serve to further indirectly benefit the language in Gaeltacht regions.
I am confident that these key measures will continue to support and develop greater use of the Irish language both within Gaeltacht regions and nationally.
262. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the degree to which she continues to ensure the availability of opportunities in arts and culture throughout the Gaeltacht area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10766/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraEalaín na Gaeltachta Teo., a joint venture between Údarás na Gaeltachta and the Arts Council, is the organisation responsible for promoting the development of the contemporary and the traditional arts in the Gaeltacht.
It is against the backdrop of the relevant measures set out in the Government’s Action Plan for the Irish language 2018-2022 that Ealaín na Gaeltachta operate. Additional information is available on the organisation's website: www.ealain.ie
For the current year, the organisation is in receipt of €1.2m from the partnership between the Arts Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta.
In 2021, funding allocations were made by the organisation for the following:
- 5 strategic projects throughout the Gaeltacht under the Cothú Scheme;
- 18 Gaeltacht arts festivals;
- 44 Gaeltacht artists received support through the organisation's Artists Bursary Scheme;
- Over 35 small one-off events/projects; and,
- 16 strategic arts projects, including visual arts, literature, stage shows, youth drama and residencies through the Arts Development Scheme.
Ealaín na Gaeltachta deploys funding directly to artists, arts organisations, and community groups in the Gaeltacht via eight funding schemes and offers a range of soft supports to the sector including training, mentoring, advice, information-sharing and advocacy. The organisation engages in and facilitates a wide range of partnerships regionally, nationally, and internationally which increase opportunities in the arts sector for Gaeltacht communities and arts practitioners.
In order to further promote and develop the language based arts in the Gaeltacht and to specifically support the language planning process and the Policy on Gaeltacht Education, my Department has provided additional funding of up to €1.5m to Ealaín na Gaeltachta enabling the organisation to further support and create opportunities for the artistic community, especially the among the youth of the Gaeltacht. A breakdown of my Department’s additional funding is as follows:
- €1.275m was sanctioned by my Department in 2019 in order to support language-based arts classes and development opportunities in the various Language Planning Areas throughout the Gaeltacht over a three year period. In the context of this programme, I also allocated a further €50,000 recently to Ealaín na Gaeltachta which will focus on promoting opportunities for young people taking part in the language-based arts classes to showcase their artistic talents outside the classroom environment.
- As a separate initiative, I sanctioned an additional €150,000 on a pilot basis to Ealaín na Gaeltachta in 2021 enabling them to develop a drama programme directed at the youth in Gaeltacht areas. This entails 700 hours of drama classes benefiting up to 230 pupils. It also enables the organisation to conduct research and explore the activities and resources currently available to young people in the Gaeltacht.
- This funding also enables Ealaín na Gaeltachta to employ an additional five co-ordinators to implement the programme (four full-time and one part-time) located in the various Gaeltacht regions.
I might also point out that further funding of €12,200 per annum was allocated to Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne to provide language-based arts classes in the West Kerry Gaeltacht, while many of the national initiatives funded under the Creative Ireland Programme are also available in the Gaeltacht.
My officials continue to engage with relevant stakeholders including Ealaín na Gaeltachta in order to explore any opportunity arising for the artistic community, to build an understanding of the range of challenges facing the sector at present and to implement appropriate solutions for the future.
