Written Answers Nos. 61-80
70. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will report on her engagements in relation to the stated intention of the International Olympic Committee to explore the development of a pathway for the renewed participation of Russian and Belarussian athletes in international sports competitions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8487/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 10 February 2023, I participated in a video call with representatives from 24 other countries from across Europe, North America and Asia, organised by the UK Government, to discuss the issue of Russian and Belarussian athletes in international sport competitions. This call was specifically arranged in response to the International Olympic Committee's statement of 25 January 2023, in which the IOC suggested that the time had come to explore a pathway for athletes from Russia and Belarus to return to international competition.
There was a broad and welcome level of consensus at the recent Ministerial meeting that nothing had changed to warrant a departure from the stance previously indicated in two joint Ministerial statements issued on 8 March and 4 July last year. Ireland signed up to both of those joint statements, which essentially call for the exclusion of Russia and Belarus from international sport whilst the war in Ukraine is ongoing.
Ireland fully subscribes to the position that there should not be any Russian or Belarussian involvement in the Paris Games next year, if there is no change in relation to the war in Ukraine. To that end, on foot of the discussions at the 10 February meeting, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that Ireland has signed up to a third joint statement that clearly sets out our position in relation to the return of Russia and Belarus to international sport. I am arranging to forward a copy of this statement directly to the Deputy.
73. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán cén dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir le cur i bhfeidhm Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú), 2021 ó achtaíodh é; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [8517/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraÓ achtaíodh Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú) 2021, tá an-dul chun cinn déanta agus na hAilt 1, 2(c), 6, 8 agus 20 tagtha i bhfeidhm ó anuraidh.
Bunaíodh an Choiste Chomhairligh um Sheirbhísí Gaeilge ar an 20 Meitheamh 2022. Bhí an bunú seo ag teacht leis an spriocdháta a leagadh síos ina leith san Acht, go mbeadh sé déanta laistigh de 6 mhí ó achtú an Achta. Titeann an oll-fhreagracht ó thaobh ullmhú an Phlean Náisiúnta um Sheirbhísí Gaeilge ar an gCoiste agus é le cur i gcrích acu roimh 19 Meitheamh 2024. Chuige sin, tá réimse leathan páirtithe leasmhara clúdaithe leis na heagraíochtaí agus na comhaltaí atá roghnaithe le bheith ar an gCoiste. Tríd an bPlean agus a chuid oibre go ginearálta, beidh ról lárnach ag an gCoiste i gcur chuige comhordaithe a stiúradh chun a chinntiú go n-earcófar líon dóthanach pearsanra le Gaeilge chun seirbhísí a sholáthar.
Tugadh feidhm d’Fhoráil na Fógraíochta (Alt 6) ar an 10ú Deireadh Fómhair 2022. Faoin bhforáil seo, tá dualgas anois ar gach comhlacht poiblí 20% ar a laghad dá bhfógraíocht bhliantúil a dhéanamh i nGaeilge agus 5% dá bhuiséid fógraíochta a chaitheamh ar fhógraíocht i nGaeilge sna meáin Ghaeilge. Is foráil thar a bheith dearfach atá ann atá tar éis cur le feiceálacht na teanga trasna gach ardán meán. Tugann an fhoráil seo teachtaireacht shoiléir go bhfuil buntáiste eacnamaíoch suntasach ag baint leis an teanga dá lucht labhartha. Táim den tuairim láidir go neartófar iarrachtaí an Stáit chun úsáid na teanga a chur chun cinn dá bharr.
Fógraíodh le déanaí go bhfuil conradh taighde bliana aontaithe le hOllscoil na Gaillimhe chun tabhairt faoi thaighde a bheidh mar bhunús d’ullmhú an Phlean Náisiúnta um Sheirbhísí Gaeilge. Mar thaca don obair seo, tá gealltanas Rialtais maidir leis an bPlean a chur i bhfeidhm san áireamh in Athnuachan na Státseirbhíse 2030.
In 2023, beifear ag leanúint chomh maith le feidhm a thabhairt d’ailt agus d’fhorálacha uile an Achta ar bhonn céimiúil - an fhoráil a bhaineann leis na caighdeáin teanga san áireamh. Chuige sin, tá beartaithe tús feidhme a thabhairt do na hAilt go léir, seachas d’Alt 17 - mar nach féidir é a chur i bhfeidhm go dtí go mbeidh gach caighdeán teanga aontaithe, i mbliana ar na dátaí seo a leanas:
- Ailt 2a, 2b, 7, 9, 10, 11, 15, 18 agus 19 ar 15ú Márta;
- Alt 3 agus Alt 16 ar 30ú Aibreán;
- Ailt 12, 13 agus 14 ar 31ú Bealtaine; agus,
- Alt 4 agus Alt 5 ar 31ú Deireadh Fómhair.
Agus an sceideal tosaithe seo curtha i bhfeidhm, beidh tús curtha le gach alt den Acht roimh dheireadh 2023 - bliain iomlán roimh an spriocdháta atá sonraithe san Acht.
Leis an obair uile a dhéanfar maidir le cur i bhfeidhm an Achta, féachfar chuige go mbeidh seirbhísí feabhsaithe curtha ar fáil do phobal na Gaeilge agus deiseanna suntasacha fostaíochta á gcruthú dóibh siúd a bhfuil inniúlacht sa teanga acu.
76. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide an update on the basic income for the arts pilot scheme. [8608/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot is a key priority for me as Minister with responsibility for arts and culture. The pilot was the number one recommendation of the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce which I established in 2020 to examine ways in which to help the arts sector recover post pandemic. I was very pleased to have been able to deliver on this recommendation.
Payments to recipients began at the end of October last. 2,000 recipients are now being paid €325 a week for three years.
The pilot will research, over a three-year period, the impact of a basic income style payment on artists and creative arts workers. I have established the scheme very firmly as a research project so that an evidence base can be developed around the impact of the payment which will inform future Government policy in relation to how Ireland supports her artists. The main research will be a longitudinal study with six monthly surveys. Survey data will be compared against a baseline survey which took place before payments began.
In addition, a further 1,000 eligible applicants were selected to form a control group, these participants will not receive the Basic Income but will engage in the same data collection as those in receipt of the payment. Control Group members will be paid €650 a year in recognition of their participation in the research.
I am very grateful to all the applicants who agreed to participate in the control group; being able to compare and track their careers against those who will receive the BIA will be essential in demonstrating the impact of the payment on artists and their creative practices.
The BIA makes a strong statement at home and abroad about the value that Ireland as a nation places on artistic practice both for its intrinsic value and in terms of our personal and collective wellbeing, and also in terms of its importance to our identity and cultural distinctiveness on the global stage.
The Government wants to give recognition to the value of the arts and the role of creative practice in Irish society. I believe that the Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme is a once in a generation, transformational measure in the funding of the arts in Ireland.
77. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if Fáilte Ireland will open a call for applications under the platforms for growth or large grant scheme in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8407/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFáilte Ireland helps to support tourism industry growth in Ireland through its ‘Tourism Development & Innovation’ Strategy for Investment 2016-2022 which underpins all of its investment in tourism capital projects, including all grant schemes and strategic partnerships. This funding supports tourism capital investment projects and initiatives by both the public and private sectors and supports Fáilte Ireland in its strategic aim to deliver genuinely innovative projects that transform visitor experiences for Ireland’s target markets, while supporting jobs in the industry and protecting our natural environment.
Fáilte Ireland’s capital investment programme, Platforms for Growth, ran from 2019 to 2022. The programme, unlike any other Fáilte Ireland project, explicitly targets ‘platforms’ or project types that have the greatest potential to grow tourism across Ireland.
The first Platform for Growth was launched in May 2019 and focused on developing immersive heritage and cultural attractions. Through this platform, Fáilte Ireland invested in heritage and cultural attractions of scale that motivate visitors to travel, either to and-or within Ireland.
The second Platform for Growth focuses on developing water sports activity facilities across the country. These facilities will provide a hub in each locality from which multiple water sport operators can base themselves. €19 million worth of investment is to be used to develop world-class facility centres at 20 locations across the country where water-based activities are a key visitor attraction.
In 2022, Fáilte Ireland launched a Gala Dinner Venues Investment Scheme as the third Platform for Growth. This is a small capital investment scheme, offering investment grants of up to 100% of eligible project costs to a maximum of €200,000 per project. The scheme aims to support the development of up to seven significant gala dinner venues of scale in the environs of Ireland’s premier business tourism hubs i.e. Dublin, Cork, Kerry, the Shannon Region and Galway. Targeting this gap in the Business Events segment will assist recovery and growth of revenue.
Currently, Fáilte Ireland has no plans to launch a new Platforms for Growth Scheme in 2023. However, Fáilte Ireland is developing a new investment plan which will be in line with the agency's Statement of Strategy and the forthcoming national Sustainable Tourism Policy, which is currently in development. Fáilte Ireland also provides further capital supports to tourism attractions and experiences in Ireland through other channels, including small grants schemes, strategic partnerships with other State bodies and some direct investments.
80. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the provisions her Department is making to replace funding to the tourism sector, secured through the Immigrant Investor Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8532/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the Immigrant Investor Programme was established over a decade ago and is under the remit of the Minister for Justice.
I understand that this programme was designed to encourage investors and business professionals from outside the European Economic Area to avail of opportunities for investing and locating their business interests in Ireland and to acquire a secure residency status in Ireland. I also understand that it is not possible to break down the investment figures showing how much went to the tourism sector specifically under the Scheme.
In terms of funding that I as Minister direct to the tourism sector, in Budget 2023 I secured €15 million in additional funding for overseas marketing of Ireland. As global competition heightens, sustaining extensive marketing campaigns will be vital to support the ongoing recovery effort, building on the initial inbound tourism demand seen in 2022.
The Budget also contains an additional €15 million for a range of industry initiatives including:
- A continuation of the investment in skills development and retention (€3 million)
- A €2 million increase in funding for domestic marketing
- I also secured additional funding €3 million to allow Fáilte Ireland to continue its work in the area of sustainability.
Tourism agencies are working hard to assist those in the tourism sector. Tourism Ireland will roll out an extensive and targeted programme of activity in 2023, with a total marketing budget of €78 million. A wide range of promotional activities will be undertaken as well as working with the tourism industry at home and the travel trade overseas to facilitate sales.
In addition, Fáilte Ireland announced its 2023 plans yesterday which include work in the area of recruitment and retention of staff and sustainability as they seek to support businesses, communities and regions. They will also undertake a range of measures to support the sector in 2023, including domestic marketing and transforming the digital capabilities of tourism businesses,
Other allocations in Budget 2023 included €36.5 million in capital funding for tourism product development for the continued delivery of enhanced visitor experiences in line with the objectives of the National Development Plan 2021-2030.
While the sector faces many challenges, I will continue to engage with the sector and with my Government colleagues to ensure that the industry is well positioned to maintain current levels of recovery and to grow sustainably in the coming years.
