Written Answers Nos. 204-223
204. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the Programme for Government initiative to work with the Northern Ireland executive to create a coastal tourist trail linking the Wild Atlantic Way, the Causeway Coastal Route and the area along Ireland’s eastern and southern coasts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27676/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland continue to collaborate on the promotion of the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route as one coastal tourism route in the overseas markets. The importance of tourism to the economy on both sides of the border and the clear logic in taking a joint approach to the promotion and development of the sector led to tourism being one of the areas chosen for formal North South cooperation, through the structures created by the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. That cooperation has been hugely beneficial, with the tourism sector now an exemplar of what can be achieved when we work together on this island with a shared purpose and for clear mutual benefit.
Tourism Ireland promotes the island of Ireland in more than 21 markets overseas as a compelling holiday destination, using the Ireland brand to position the island as strongly as possible against more than 200 other destinations with which Ireland competes. Tourism Ireland promotes both the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route on a range of platforms, including online, via publicity and overseas trade platforms.
My Department and both tourism agencies will continue to foster north-south co-operation to enhance an all-island tourism offering and grow international visitor numbers to the entire island.
On 20 January 2022, I took part in a Shared Island Dialogue event hosted by the Department of the Taoiseach, which focused on all-island tourism. Over 160 tourism and civil society stakeholders from across the island joined the event online to discuss the success of tourism cooperation on the island of Ireland over the past 20 years and explore how best to enhance opportunities for domestic and international visitors in the years ahead.
My Department will continue to work with the Department of the Taoiseach on implementing our commitments to the North/South development of tourism as included in the Shared Island chapter of the renewed National Development Plan. This includes supporting Tourism Ireland in its mission to grow tourism into the island of Ireland, to promote the recovery of the sector post-pandemic and to work with the Northern Ireland Executive on developing large scale North/South tourism initiatives which will support the sustainable growth of the sector including cross-border walking and cycling trails as well as new marketing opportunities.
205. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the amount of funding that her Department allocated to the Tourism Ireland regional cooperative marketing fund in each of the years 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27678/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, Tourism Ireland promotes regional air and sea access to Ireland in overseas tourism markets through initiatives like the Regional Cooperative Marketing Fund, which seeks to encourage new access and maximise the potential of existing services to the regions, with matched funding from airlines, sea carriers, airports, ports and regional tourism stakeholders including Local Authorities.
The Regional Cooperative Marketing Fund has been very important in enabling tactical partnerships that have helped drive increases in visitors to the regions, amplifying the Ireland message overseas and supporting direct access. This scheme will continue to form a very important part of Tourism Ireland's plans in supporting the recovery of our tourism sector in a post-pandemic environment.
The allocation to Tourism Ireland in respect of the Regional Cooperative Marketing Fund was €2.5 million in 2020, €3 million in 2021 and €3 million is also allocated for 2022.
206. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the projects which were successful, unsuccessful and the appeals for the sports capital and equipment programme in tabular form. [27769/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas.
The 2020 round of the SCEP closed for applications on Monday 1 March 2021 and by the deadline a record 3,100 applications were submitted.
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. This represented the highest level of allocation ever made under the SCEP.
Unsuccessful applicants were able to appeal the Department's decision. The deadline for submission of appeals was Monday 4 April and 146 appeals were received. The assessment of all appeals has now been completed and the consequent allocations announced today.
A list of all the organisations that made applications under the 2020 round are published on a county basis on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/service/d13385-sports-capital-programme/#sports-capital-programme-applications-allocations-and-payments. This site also contains details of all allocations under the 2020 round including the list of successful applicants.
207. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if her Department will ensure that the exclusion of persons from the National Famine Commemoration Day will not reoccur. [27828/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra208. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason that her Department gave 24 days' notice for the National Famine Commemoration Day 2022 for Irish persons residing at home and abroad (details supplied). [27829/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra209. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her views on the best way that her Department can ensure a respectful, publicly inclusive National Famine Commemoration Day in 2023. [27830/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 207, 208 and 209 together.
I refer the Deputy to my replies to Parliamentary Question No 301 of 10th May and Parliamentary Question No 164 of 4th May, in which I set out the out the position in relation to the arrangements in relation to the preparations for the National Famine Commemoration which was held at the National Famine Museum, Strokestown Park, Co. Roscommon on Sunday, 15th May.
The Taoiseach, Micheál Martin T.D., led the ceremony which was hosted on my behalf by Minister of State Jack Chambers T.D.
As in 2020 and 2021 the ceremony, which was broadcast live on the RTÉ News channel, on the day, was open to invited guests only. Numbers attending were higher than in 2020 and 2021.
However, it was decided not to have a public event when the decision on the venue was made. This was when COVID-19 restrictions were still in place.
Arrangements for the 2023 Commemoration will be considered by the National Famine Commemoration Committee later in the year.
210. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason that voice coaches are specifically excluded from the new artists subvention scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27854/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme will run over a three year period (2022 – 2025). Applications for the scheme closed on May 12th and the scheme was open to eligible artists and creative arts sector workers.
Eligibility is based on the definition of the arts as contained in the Arts Act 2003;
““arts” means any creative or interpretative expression (whether traditional or contemporary) in whatever form, and includes, in particular, visual arts, theatre, literature, music, dance, opera, film, circus and architecture, and includes any medium when used for those purposes”.
The overarching objective of the scheme is to address the earnings instability that can be associated with the intermittent, periodic, and often project-based nature of work in the arts. The scheme will research the impact on artists and creative arts workers creative practice of providing the security of a basic income, thereby reducing income precarity.
The following categories of applicants were eligible:
- Practising artists;
- Creative arts workers (see definition below), or;
- Recently trained applicants (within the last 5 years).
The key eligibility criteria is that applicants must either be an artist with their own creative practice or a creative arts worker who has a creative practice of their own which makes a key contribution to the production, interpretation or exhibition of the arts. Voice coaches, while providing an invaluable service to artists like actors and singers etc., were not considered eligible as they do not have a creative practice of their own but rather they provide training to artists. However, if for example a voice coach also worked as an actor, their acting work would make them eligible to apply.
211. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of safeguarding 1 child welfare and protection basic awareness workshop courses that were completed in each of the years 2018 to 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27980/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation at all levels and raising standards. Sport Ireland’s remit in the area of child safeguarding is to develop and disseminate guidelines and codes of practice promoting best practice for the protection of children in sport consistent with child protection legislation.
I have referred the Deputy's question to Sport Ireland for direct reply in relation to the number of courses completed. I would ask the Deputy to inform my office if a reply is not received within 10 days.
212. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the grants that were issued to a college (details supplied) over the past five year from the Department; the terms and conditions in the granting of capital grants for sports facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27981/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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. Full details of the Programme including a copy of the latest "Guide to Making an Application" (which sets out the terms and conditions of the scheme) are available at the following link: - www.gov.ie/en/service/d13385-sports-capital-programme/#introduction
Details of all allocations under the SCEP since 2000 are published on www.gov.ie/en/collection/471ed5-sports-capital-allocations/. The Department has no records of providing SCEP funding to the organisation referred to by the Deputy in the last five years.
213. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if Tourism Ireland plans to open a new office in Portugal. [28062/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe matter raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Tourism Ireland. Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy's question to Tourism Ireland for direct reply. Please contact my private office if you have not received a reply within ten working days.
214. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the funding allocated to Culture Ireland for the promotion of Irish arts globally in 2020, 2021 and 2022, in tabular form. [28063/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe funding allocated to Culture Ireland for the promotion of Irish arts globally in 2020, 2021 and 2022 is set out in the table below.
|
Year |
Culture Ireland annual allocation |
|
2020 |
€4.6m |
|
2021 |
€4.6m |
|
2022 |
€4.6m |
215. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the work with the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver the cross-Border Ulster Canal project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27677/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government includes a commitment to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver the flagship cross-border Ulster Canal project. The Government has met with the Northern Ireland Executive on a number of occasions and most recently in November 2021, under the auspices of the North South Ministerial Council, re-affirming their joint commitment to the Ulster Canal project and noting its progress.
Officials from both my Department and the Department for Infrastructure, continue to co-operate effectively and communicate on a regular basis, to progress the work programmes involved in the project, the aim of which is critical to providing a safe and high quality recreational environment for the public, whilst also preserving the industrial and environmental heritage of the waterways for future generations.
In December 2020, the Government announced approval of €7 million in Shared Island Funding, to enable the continued restoration of the Ulster Canal project. This included the ongoing work on Phase 2 of the restoration from Clones to Clonfad, the plans for Phase 3 of the restoration from Castle Saunderson to Clonfad, and the plans for the development of the Ulster Canal Greenway.
Phase 1: Restoration of the Ulster Canal comprising c. 2.5 kilometres of new navigation from Upper Lough Erne along the River Finn to a new boating destination at Castle Saunderson was completed in 2019.
Phase 2: Construction on site of the Clonfad to Clones phase of the project is planned to commence in the summer of 2022, with substantial completion of the main infrastructure works expected in Q2 of 2023.
Phase 3: Clonfad to Castle Saunderson comprises the restoration of a 10km stretch of the canal through Fermanagh and Monaghan, which will link Phases 1 and 2. This will complete access from Clones to the River Shannon via Lough Erne and the Shannon-Erne Waterway system.
Phase 3 has four sub-phases:
- Phase 3.1 Castle Saunderson to Gortnacarrow;
- Phase 3.2 Gortnacarrow to the border;
- Phase 3.3 Border to Derrynure;
- Phase 3.4 Derrynure to Clonfad.
Outline design work for phases 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4 was completed in 2021. Further preparatory work relating to the updating of the Business Case for the restoration from Lough Erne to Clones will continue through 2022 and 2023. Work on a new planning application for sub phase 3.3 is expected to continue through 2023 and 2024. The indicative timeline for completion of all of the sub phases within Phase 3 is 2028.
216. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 283 and 284 of 17 May 2022 (details supplied) in regard to No. 14 of the licence, if he will provide details regarding the way that hares are distinguished from each other and the way it is known which location a hare is to be released back to. [27713/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraA licence under Section 32 of the Wildlife Acts is issued to the Irish Coursing Club which allows for a tag or other marking device to be used. A link to the licence is below:
www.npws.ie/licencesandconsents/hare-coursing
Details of hare capture locations are provided to my Department in advance of meetings.
217. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions his Department or the National Parks and Wildlife Service intend to take in relation to the alleged misuse of national parks by organisers of hare coursing events specifically in Killarney National Park; if he will further clarify the position in relation to the use of national parks for such events; if the NPWS were informed prior to such events taking place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27218/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department can confirm that there has been no use of our properties by any Coursing club to hold Hare coursing events and my Department has not received any reports of illegal hunting of hares within the boundaries.
The control of live hare coursing, including the operation of individual coursing meetings and managing the use of hares for that activity, is carried out under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My responsibility relates to the conservation status of the hare.
While the regulation of hare coursing is not under my statutory control, licences are required by the Irish Coursing Club under the terms of the Wildlife Acts on behalf of their affiliated clubs to facilitate the netting and tagging of hares for closed park meetings. The licences granted by my Department in such instances include a range of conditions in relation to coursing hares which are designed to provide as much protection as possible to the conservation status of the hare.
218. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if action will be taken by the National Parks and Wildlife Services in relation to an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27273/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department is committed to the active management of the deer species within State owned National Parks and Nature Reserves and as part of its regular on-going management operations, NPWS carry out regular surveys, censuses and reports on deer in our sites. Where appropriate, and depending on the annual count and instances of damage caused by deer to habitats, especially woodland, culls may need to be carried out to ensure that deer populations do not reach levels that would have negative ecological consequences.
However, it should be noted that while the NPWS does licence hunting of deer, my Department does not own the deer population and is not responsible for the management of deer populations generally. Deer, albeit larger, are like other wild animals in this country and it is not part of the remit of my Department, nor indeed would it be generally possible, to cordon them onto specific areas of land. In the case of deer on private property, management is a matter for the relevant landowner.
Deer can be controlled and hunted during the open season in accordance with a deer hunting licence issued under Section 29(1) of the Wildlife Acts. Deer can be controlled and managed outside the open seasons in accordance with a licence issued under Section 42 of the Wildlife Acts. Such licences are issued where damage is being caused by protected wild animals to livestock, agricultural crops on pasture or on cultivated land, woodland, forestry plantation, etc.
Local NPWS officials of my Department are happy to meet with local farmers, to best advise them on the licensing process and how best to manage/control deer on their land.
219. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the review his Department is undertaking with regard to facilitating inter-county social housing transfers; if this review will be progressed in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27286/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraRequests for housing transfers are considered solely by the relevant local authority concerned in accordance with that authority’s allocation scheme, which is made by the elected members under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and in compliance with Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011.
Local authorities are responsible for assessing housing applicants, taking into account factors such as the condition and affordability of existing accommodation, medical and compassionate grounds, etc. The authority then prioritises the needs of approved applicants in accordance with its allocation scheme. Ultimately, it is a matter for the local authority to decide the conditions to be met in relation to transfer applications.
All four Dublin authorities have provisions in their allocation schemes for inter authority/mutual transfers for sitting tenants whereby the authority is prepared to accommodate applications for inter authority/mutual transfers provided certain criteria are met. Similar arrangements apply in other local authorities, such arrangements are entirely a matter for the local authority concerned.
Wider tenancy movements will be examined this year and I will consider any proposals regarding such movements in the context of other reform package measures.
220. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department engaged with the European Commission on whether the Croí Cónaithe Cities scheme was compliant with European Union-state aid rules; and the conditions, if any, that the European Commission imposed on the scheme to ensure compliance. [27292/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra231. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Croí Cónaithe Cities fund has received an exemption from the European Commission with regard to state aid rules, as outlined in Article 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27367/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 220 together.
Addressing the current housing shortage requires short, medium and long-term action to stimulate housing supply. The Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme is one measure within Housing for All that will help to kick-start apartment developments that might not otherwise be developed.
In developing the Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme, my Department engaged in consultation with the Directorate General for Competition in the European Commission (DG COMP), following which, a pre-notification of the scheme as State Aid compatible with the TFEU has been prepared and submitted to DG COMP.
221. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions he intends to take given the findings of the Mulcahy Report into allegations of planning irregularities in County Donegal. [27293/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course.
With regard to the publication of the Mulcahy Report, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (CEI/18/0019) of 13 February 2019 and the Information Commissioner (OIC-59426-Q8D7T8) of 27 February 2020 in relation to requests to publish this report will also be taken into account. Both decisions are publicly available on those bodies' websites.
It should be noted that in each of these cases, both the Commissioner for Environmental Information and the Information Commissioner decided not to grant access to the report. The Office of the Information Commissioner decision stated "placing the details concerned in the public domain would significantly breach the rights to privacy of identifiable individuals." Therefore, this is a matter that requires careful consideration given that the report details unproven allegations against named individuals.
222. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the National Parks and Wildlife Service will schedule works (details supplied) for completion in September 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27311/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe works in question and the necessary environmental screening are under active consideration by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department and I have asked that this case be expedited.
223. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of the thatch steering group that his Department is currently establishing; the persons who will sit on this steering group; the aim of the steering group; and if any member of the steering group has a thatched roof. [27325/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe steering group being established will be called the Built Vernacular Heritage (Thatch) Steering Group. Its aim is to enhance the protection and conservation of historic thatched roofs under Action 6 of A Living Tradition: a strategy to enhance the understand, minding, and handing on of our built vernacular heritage, which was published by my Department and which I launched in December 2021.
The remit of the steering group is to assist with implementation of the strategy. Its first priority is to work to resolve the urgent issue of affordability and availability of insurance for thatched buildings. It will also examine other relevant issues, including thatching standards, fire prevention guidance, and the availability of suitable thatching materials. The steering group will work to accelerate the recording and protection of thatched buildings, and establish a central database of such structures. It will also progress relevant parts of other actions of the strategy as they relate to thatch and thatching.
The range of stakeholders comprising the steering group includes a thatch owner (Edward Frampton), a thatcher (Jimmy Lenehan), a representative of the local authority architectural conservation officers (Rose Ryall, Waterford City and County Council), a representative of the local authority heritage officers (Joe Gallagher, Donegal County Council), a representative of the Department’s thatching grants section (Patricia Rogers), a representative of the Heritage Council (Colm Murray), and a representative of the Department for Communities (Northern Ireland) (Caroline Maguire). The group will be chaired by Jimmy Lenehan.
