Written Answers Nos. 561-583
561. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aindrias Moynihan den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán cén maoiniú caipitiúil Údarás na Gaeltachta atá curtha ar fáil ag Údarás na Gaeltachta do thogra Choláiste Íosagáin, le 5 bliana anuas, i bhfoirm thábla, cé mhéad den mhaoiniú a caitheadh sna blianta éagsúla; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [14062/24]
View answerAwaiting reply from the Department.
562. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when the sports capital funding allocations will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14108/24]
View answerThe latest round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme SCEP (2023) closed for applications on Friday, 8 September 2023. A preliminary examination of the submitted applications demonstrates that the Programme has again generated a very large number of applications. The total number of 3,210 applications exceeds the record number submitted under the last (2020) round.
The "Scoring System and Assessment Manual" for the 2023 round has been finalised and published along with a list of all applications received by county including the relevant sport type for each application received. These details can be accessed at www.gov.ie/en/publication/1c0f6-scep-2023-applications-received/. The necessary assessment work has commenced and it is planned to assess the "equipment-only" applications first and announce these grants in the coming months. Work will then commence on assessing the capital applications with the allocations to be announced later.
563. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the support her Department is providing for the proposed water hub in Carlow (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14113/24]
View answerThe Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Both of these capital programmes are demand-driven.
The National Sports Policy published in 2018 provided for the establishment of the LSSIF. The aim of the fund is to provide support for larger sports facilities where the Exchequer investment is greater than the maximum amount available under the SCEP.
A new round of the LSSIF will open for applications in the coming weeks, with the dates, terms and conditions to be confirmed in due course. While the first round of the LSSIF programme was aimed primarily at the National Governing Bodies of Sport and local authorities, it was also open to other bodies, philanthropic funders, clubs and voluntary organisations to apply. However, such applications would necessarily have to be made and prioritised by a local authority and/or a Governing Body.
I would encourage all eligible projects to consider applying for this competitive application process when it opens.
564. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the local democracy and courts reporting scheme will be open to community radio, which plays a vital role in local news broadcasting; if not, the reason therefor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14163/24]
View answerI wish to acknowledge the important role that the community radio sector plays within the overall media landscape, and I commend these stations as they fulfil a vital role in community engagement, cohesion, and in the promotion of social inclusion in our communities large and small.
The Report of the Future of Media Commission examined the challenges faced by the media sector and consequent impact on the provision of public service content. The Report made a number of recommendations to counter these challenges and to support the provision of public service content.
One recommendation made by the Future of Media Commission was the establishment of a new Media Fund to provide support for the provision of public service content by the wider media and journalism sector at local, regional and national levels. As the schemes are being administered on a platform neutral basis, community media will be eligible to apply for funding subject to meeting the eligibility criteria set out by Coimisiún na Meán.
The Media Fund is being established on an administrative basis, with the Local Democracy and Courts Reporting Schemes being prioritised for implementation by Coimisiún na Meán, with €6m allocated in Budget 2024 for this purpose. A process of engagement with the European Commission regarding State Aid has concluded positively and it has been agreed that the Schemes can be implemented without prior State Aid clearance.
In terms of next steps, it is now for Coimisiún na Meán to implement the Schemes. They will carry out stakeholder consultation on the detailed design of the schemes and once the schemes are finalised, will run a call for applications for both schemes. Further details on the timelines for rollout of the schemes will be made available by Coimisiún na Meán in due course.
Funding for the community radio sector is currently provided by Coimisiún na Meán through the Sound and Vision Scheme, which provides dedicated funding rounds for the sector. A major innovation in the current scheme has been the establishment of Social Benefit rounds for community broadcasters.
In 2020, a total of €670,000 was awarded to 22 community radio projects focused on social benefit, through a round exclusively dedicated to Community Radio projects. The following year, in 2021, a total of €516,300 was awarded to 19 community radio station projects, and last year funding of €710,000 was provided to 20 community radio projects. The most recent round of community radio funding closed for applications in February and up to €750,000 will be made available.
In addition to these dedicated funding rounds, community radio stations may also apply for open rounds of Sound and Vision, from which community radio has benefits from funding amounting to €1.14m in the period from 2020 to 2022.
I wish to assure the Deputy that I, as Minister, am fully committed to the continuing development and support of the wider media sector, including regional, local and community media outlets, which fulfil a unique role in our media environment.
565. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if her Department uses community radio for advertising and public awareness campaigns; if not, the reason, given the vital role community radio often plays in the dissemination of information to local communities; if her Department will consider using community radio for public awareness campaigns in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14176/24]
View answerMy Department recognises the important role community radio plays in communicating with citizens and residents of Ireland on a daily basis. I am advised by officials that advertising was placed on community radio through an external advertising agency as recently as February of this year. At all times, value for money and reach are considerations when planning advertising campaigns, and community radio stations are assessed alongside commercial radio stations under these criteria.
566. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her views on alleviating capacity blockages on tourism accommodation and the possibility of lessening over-reliance on hotels for humanitarian purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14219/24]
View answerThe importance of the tourism sector to the Irish economy and communities in every corner of Ireland is well understood and it is recognised that the use of tourist accommodation to support the Government’s response to the humanitarian crisis has impacted the sector.
Fáilte Ireland has identified that, in November 2023, 12% of all registered tourism accommodation stock nationally was under contract to the state. An additional amount of tourism-type accommodation that is not registered with Fáilte Ireland is also contracted to the state.
I have made up to €10 million available for a programme of supports targeted at tourism businesses experiencing particular challenges linked to the reduction in footfall in regions most impacted by tourism bed stock displacement. This programme of supports includes a Business Support Scheme, investment in sustainable tourism development and promotion, industry digitalisation, promotion of domestic tourism and festivals, and recruitment and retention initiatives.
On 27 March, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth secured the Government's approval for a new comprehensive accommodation strategy for International Protection applicants that will see a move away from full reliance on private providers towards a core of state-owned accommodation, delivering 14,000 state-owned beds by 2028. This approach will over time, help to reduce the reliance on tourism accommodation.
567. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide an update on her Department's support for a project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14491/24]
View answerThe Department currently operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Both of these capital programmes are demand-driven.
The National Sports Policy, which was published in 2018, provided for the establishment of a Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The first call for proposals under the LSSIF closed in 2019 with applications confined to local authorities and national governing bodies of sport. All applications were assessed in accordance with the published evaluation procedures and guidelines and the first allocations were announced in January 2020.
Approximately €124 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals to date including this project (design work only). The design element only of this project is being funded via a LSSIF Stream 1 grant allocation of €918,750.
Dublin City Council announced the approval of the Part 8 Planning Application for this project in February 2024. Dublin City Council has also signalled its intention to apply for construction funding, which will fall under a separate competitive application process, when a new round of the LSSIF opens for applications in the coming weeks.
568. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for an update on a sports capital application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14533/24]
View answerThe latest round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme SCEP (2023) closed for applications on Friday, 8 September 2023. A preliminary examination of the submitted applications demonstrates that the Programme has again generated a very large number of applications. The total number of 3,210 applications, including one from the organisation referred to by the Deputy, exceeds the record number submitted under the last (2020) round.
The "Scoring System and Assessment Manual" for the 2023 round has been finalised and published along with a list of all applications received by county including the relevant sport type for each application received. These details can be accessed at www.gov.ie/en/publication/1c0f6-scep-2023-applications-received/. The necessary assessment work has commenced and it is planned to assess the "equipment-only" applications first and announce these grants in the coming months. Work will then commence on assessing the capital applications with the allocations to be announced later.
569. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for an update on a sports capital application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14534/24]
View answerThe latest round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme SCEP (2023) closed for applications on Friday, 8 September 2023. A preliminary examination of the submitted applications demonstrates that the Programme has again generated a very large number of applications. The total number of 3,210 applications, including one from the project referred to by the Deputy, exceeds the record number submitted under the last (2020) round.
The "Scoring System and Assessment Manual" for the 2023 round has been finalised and published along with a list of all applications received by county including the relevant sport type for each application received. These details can be accessed at www.gov.ie/en/publication/1c0f6-scep-2023-applications-received/. The necessary assessment work has commenced and it is planned to assess the "equipment-only" applications first and announce these grants in the coming months. Work will then commence on assessing the capital applications with the allocations to be announced later.
570. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide the current application status of a funding request from an organisation (details supplied) to support hosting of the world rally championships in Ireland on a three-year programme event; to confirm that Government will commit to €15 million funding in total, based on a €5 million support payment per year on a three-year contract basis; if he will acknowledge that a decision needs to be provided within the next ten days in order to ensure Ireland remains a contender for these rally slots. [14607/24]
View answer571. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for an update on funding (detail supplied); if she will provide the expected timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14637/24]
View answerThe Department currently operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Both of these capital programmes are demand-driven.
The aim of the LSSIF is to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects, where the Exchequer investment would be greater than the maximum amount available, under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP). The first call for proposals under the LSSIF closed in 2019 with applications confined to Local Authorities and National Governing Bodies of Sport. New swimming pool projects and the refurbishment of existing swimming pools were eligible to apply for LSSIF grant funding subject to published guidelines and regulations. The first LSSIF allocations were announced in January 2020 and thus far, approximately €124 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals including 8 swimming pool projects.
A new round of the LSSIF will open for applications in the coming weeks, with the dates, terms and conditions to be published on the Department’s website in the coming weeks. I would encourage all eligible projects to consider applying for this competitive application process when it opens in the coming weeks.
572. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when she expects the next round of sports capital funding to be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14660/24]
View answerThe latest round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme SCEP (2023) closed for applications on Friday, 8 September 2023. A preliminary examination of the submitted applications demonstrates that the Programme has again generated a very large number of applications. The total number of 3,210 applications exceeds the record number submitted under the last (2020) round.
The "Scoring System and Assessment Manual" for the 2023 round has been finalised and published along with a list of all applications received by county including the relevant sport type for each application received. These details can be accessed at www.gov.ie/en/publication/1c0f6-scep-2023-applications-received/. The necessary assessment work has commenced and it is planned to assess the "equipment-only" applications first and announce these grants in the coming months. Work will then commence on assessing the capital applications with the allocations to be announced later.
After every recent round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme, a review is undertaken with a view to making recommendations on how to improve the programme and the process for future calls. When a review of the current 2023 round has been completed consideration can then be given to the timing of a further round of the SCEP.
573. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media whether it is intended that the Irish public will be able to access the new Freely platform which is launching later this year and which will allow users to watch live TV via the internet for free, as provided for under the Good Friday Agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14668/24]
View answerFreely is a UK-based television service operated by Everyone TV, a UK television communications company, and backed by the main UK free to air broadcasters, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. Freely is being launched in the UK as a streaming-service version of the existing Freeview and Freesat services, and the question of access to the service is a matter for the service providers. The service does not come under my remit as Minister.
With regard to access to television services, the Good Friday Agreement provides for increased availability and prominence of TG4 in Northern Ireland, and does not include the provision of more UK broadcasting services in this jurisdiction.
Ireland already has a free to air broadcasting service in Saorview, our national digital terrestrial service, which is available in 98% of Irish homes and provides 16 TV channels as well as 12 radio stations on a free to air basis.
574. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she has visited the Royal Irish Academy of Music to date in 2024. [14794/24]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that I have not had the opportunity to visit the Royal Irish Academy of Music to date in 2024.
575. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 173 and 174 of 6 March 2024, the amount of funding provided by either Horse Sport Ireland and Sport Ireland to equestrian related bodies in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; under what programmes and for what purposes, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14823/24]
View answerI refer the Deputy to my reply to Dáil Question No. 569 of 20 March 2024 where I informed the Deputy that I had referred his question to Sport Ireland for direct reply in relation to funding provided by Sport Ireland to Horse Sport Ireland.
I am advised that Sport Ireland responded direct to the Deputy on 5 April 2024.
576. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she is aware of the urgent need for running tracks in Cork, following the recent closure of the UCC track; and if she is in receipt of any urgent requests to assist same. [14854/24]
View answerMy Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Both of these capital programmes are demand-driven.
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. Grants are available to voluntary, not-for profit sports clubs, community groups, NGBs, and local authorities. Third level colleges, Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and schools may apply for funding provided that they do so jointly with external sports clubs or community organisations.
Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998 bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas. The 2020 round of the SCEP attracted 3,106 applications with a total of €166.6 million allocated to the Programme.
The latest round of the SCEP (2023) closed for applications on Friday, 8 September 2023 and generated a record number of 3,210 applications. While no application has been received in respect of UCC under the current round, there are over 350 applications from County Cork, seeking €40.5 million in total. Within this cohort, athletics-specific applications have been received from seven applicants in county Cork.
The "Scoring System and Assessment Manual" for the 2023 round has been finalised and published along with a list of all applications received by county including the relevant sport type for each application received. The detailed assessment work has commenced and it is planned to assess the "equipment-only" applications first and announce these grants in the coming months. Work will then commence on assessing the capital applications with the allocations to be announced later.
Separately, the National Sports Policy published in 2018 provided for the establishment of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The aim of the fund is to provide support for larger sports facilities where the Exchequer investment is greater than the maximum amount available under the SCEP. In December 2023, additional funding amounting to €37.6 million to 27 existing LSSIF projects, was announced bringing the total awarded to date to LSSIF-funded projects to €124 million. This additional funding for projects was provided, in response to delays experienced by grantees arising from the pandemic and construction inflation.
One of the largest projects funded to date under LSSIF is the “Athletics Ireland and Munster Technological University (Formerly CIT) Community Sport Project” for the development of an Arena (Phase 1), Track Upgrade (Phase 2) and High Performance Athletic Centre (Phase 3) on the Bishopstown campus of the University. The project was awarded LSSIF funding of €9.225 million in January 2020 and additional funding in December 2023 of €5,094,830, bringing the LSSIF funding total for this project to €14.3 million for all three phases. Phase 1 is now complete and Phase 2 – Track Upgrade - is due to be completed this summer with preparatory work on Phase 3 progressing.
A new round of the LSSIF will open for applications in the coming weeks, with the dates, terms and conditions to be confirmed in due course. While the LSSIF programme is aimed primarily at the National Governing Bodies of Sport and local authorities it is also open to other bodies, philanthropic funders, clubs and voluntary organisations to apply. However, such applications would necessarily have to be made and prioritised by a local authority and/or a Governing Body.
577. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will list the agencies under her aegis; and the appropriate email address for Oireachtas liaison. [14990/24]
View answerA list of public bodies under the aegis of my Department and their Oireachtas liaison email addresses is provided below.
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State Boards |
Question No 577 9 April 2024 |
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Arts Council |
pqs@artscouncil.ie |
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Coimisiún na Meán |
oireachtasqueries@cnam.ie |
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Crawford Art Gallery |
director@crawfordartgallery.ienormacuddihy@crawfordartgallery.ie |
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Chester Beatty Library |
docarroll@cbl.ieaduffy@cbl.ie |
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Fáilte Ireland |
oireachtas@failteireland.ie |
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Foras na Gaeilge |
socoinn@forasnagaeilge.ie |
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Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) |
annie.fletcher@imma.ie fintan.mcdonald@imma.ie |
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National Concert Hall |
robert.read@nch.ie; Barry.Walsh@nch.ie |
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National Gallery of Ireland |
directorsoffice@ngi.iepqs@ngi.ie |
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National Library of Ireland |
oireachtasqueries@nli.ie |
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National Museum of Ireland |
directorsoffice@museum.iepq@museum.ie |
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Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) |
companysecretary@rte.ie |
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Screen Ireland |
info@screenireland.ie |
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Sport Ireland |
oireachtas@sportireland.ie |
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Teilifís na Gaeilge (TG4) |
Noramaire.ui.mhochain@tg4.ie |
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Tha Boord o Ulstèr Scotch |
Icrozier@ulsterscotsagency.org.uk |
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Tourism Ireland |
RMcTague@tourismireland.com |
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Údarás na Gaeltachta |
bridie@udaras.ie |
578. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the progress of sports capital grant applications; when she intends to make an announcement for successful allocations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15055/24]
View answerThe latest round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme SCEP (2023) closed for applications on Friday, 8 September 2023 A preliminary examination of the submitted applications demonstrates that the Programme has again generated a very large number of applications. The total number of 3,210 applications exceeds the record number submitted under the last (2020) round.
The "Scoring System and Assessment Manual" for the 2023 round has been finalised and published along with a list of all applications received by county including the relevant sport type for each application received. These details can be accessed at www.gov.ie/en/publication/1c0f6-scep-2023-applications-received/. The necessary assessment work has commenced and it is planned to assess the "equipment-only" applications first and announce these grants in the coming months. Work will then commence on assessing the capital applications with the allocations to be announced later.
579. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for a list of capital projects funded under Stream E in the past five years; and to detail how much money was allocated to each project. [15057/24]
View answer580. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what money is available for the development of new artist workspaces. [15058/24]
View answer581. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what money has been allocated to artist workspaces in the past five years. [15059/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 580 and 581 together.
The current Programme for Government contains a commitment to support measures to increase the provision of affordable workspaces for artists and creative practitioners. The following initiatives are in place or in planning to address this issue.
I am conscious of the pressures that artists and creatives face in finding suitable workspaces, especially in Dublin and the difficulties in the provision of artistic venues there. Last June, I announced, along with the Lord Mayor of Dublin, details of a €9 million capital works programme called Space to Create. I was pleased to direct €3 million in funding to this initiative that will see 60 artists provided with turnkey workspaces as well as opportunities to use performance and gallery space and flexible office spaces.
I first announced an allocation of €7m under Budget 2023 for the provision of artists’ workspaces. It is now proposed that a new capital scheme will shortly be opened by my Department to progress this proposal. Under this scheme, local authorities will be invited to apply for funding towards projects that provide artists’ workspaces in their towns or cities on a sustainable basis.
In recent years, other arts and culture capital schemes have been rolled out. While the primary focus of these schemes is towards the refurbishment and enhancement of existing arts and culture facilities, funding was also being provided towards the provision of additional working spaces for artists in these buildings.
A breakdown of annual expenditure on these capital schemes is available on my Department’s website under the heading Cultural Development Expenditure at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/b1eab-creative-arts-grants-and-funding-previous-schemes/.
The Deputy may be also aware of the pilot capital support scheme for arts, culture and the night-time economy will support the development of vibrant late night arts and culture scenes in Irish cities, particularly in Dublin city, towns and villages. This will also provide additional capital to assist artists through the provision of building and equipment needs.
There has been sustained investment in arts and culture in recent years and in budget 2024 a total of €367.406 million was provided for arts and culture elements of the Department's budget, an increase of €10.424 million from €356.982 million in 2023. These funding schemes speaks to the Government’s commitment under the Programme for Government to increase the provision of affordable workspaces for artists and creative practitioners and ensure the timely delivery of arts and culture investment commitments, such as our national cultural institutions, as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.
The Arts Council currently provides programming and revenue supports to a range of initiatives such as arts centres bursaries and residencies, required to sustain artists nationwide. The record level of €134m funding for the Arts Council under Budget 24 represents significant investment in supports for artists across Ireland.
The Arts Council also supports a range of artists' residencies across many artforms and in many different contexts across Ireland. In such cases, these are initiatives of the Arts Council, often taken in partnership with host institutions or organisations. The purpose and priorities of these residency programmes is generally to afford artists’ time and space to develop their practice and allow a period of relative financial stability to those artists.
The range of artists’ residencies are varied and include the following:
- Residency Partnerships with Universities - The Arts Council operates and/or funds a number of residency programmes, which are the result of institutional partnerships with universities.
- Residency schemes; these offer offers a range of residency schemes in the delivery of policy priorities and include Colleges of Education Residencies as well as the Dance Artist Residency, for example.
- Residencies through Arts Council Strategic, Arts Centre and Partnership Funding. These residencies range between those where Local Authority Arts Offices offer artists’ residencies at a local level and support individual artists with a subvention from the Arts Council. Also included here are where a number of arts organisations in receipt of Strategic and Arts Centre funding from the Arts Council, support artists' residencies as part of their overall annual programme. Examples include residencies offered by arts organisations such as the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Monaghan, the VISUAL in Carlow, West Cork Arts Centre in Skibereen, the Táin Arts Centre in Dundalk, and the Model in Sligo.
In addition to residencies, the Arts Council also operates many current funding schemes and initiatives towards particular support of visual arts, including the Visual Artists Workspace Scheme, to support artists’ and provide the best possible working environment for visual artists and, where feasible, to enable a level of subsidy for the artists working in these spaces.
It is also worth noting that support for the artist has been identified as a priority by the Arts Council under its 10-years strategy. To this end the Arts Council is working to ensure that artists are supported at key stages in the life cycle of their careers and that they have a supportive working environment. Between 2020 and 2023 the Arts Council have invested over €42 million in bursaries to support artists. Furthermore, artists support schemes such as the Basic Income for Artists pilot programme operated by my Department have significantly expanded the range of artists that are being supported in Ireland today in the face of social, economic and environmental challenges.
Arts Council funding decisions from 2007 are published on its website at the following link www.artscouncil.ie/funding-decisions/. Decisions are also recorded in the Arts Council's annual reports which are available online.
582. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what funding is available to amateur arts in Ireland, including choirs. [15060/24]
View answerUnder the Arts Act 2003, the Arts Council has primary responsibility for the development of the arts in Ireland. The Arts Council's commitment to the arts is provided for in its 10-years investment Strategy - Making Great Art Work.
Arts participation is a core value across all areas of the Arts Council's work and it is committed to increasing public engagement in the arts in Ireland. The Council provides financial support to a number of initiatives aimed at increasing public access, participation and engagement in the arts. Its festivals investment scheme, is specifically designed to support local and voluntary organisations. The Arts Council provide funding to Sing Ireland which is a membership organisation for choirs in Ireland. Sing Ireland provides information, support and development programmes for anyone interested in, or involved with, choral music in Ireland.
In addition, the Arts Council invests funding in a range of developmental projects including Creative Schools, Creative Places, Creative Europe and Culture Night, and towards the Arts Council’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion plans. For example, Culture Night, creates opportunities for artists at all levels. Details of all these programmes are available on the Arts Council's website.
In Budget 2024, I provided a record €134m funding for the Arts Council in recognition of the transformational impact of this funding and to support the sector.
A network of cultural infrastructure exists throughout the country with the majority in the ownership of local authorities. Annual support, including programming and revenue supports, is provided to arts centres by local authorities and the Arts Council. Arts Centres are where artists and audiences meet and this is a key part of the Arts Council strategy to invest in public engagement. My Department focuses on providing capital grant funding to assist and maintain these arts and cultural facilities. Funding is administered through applications received for specific Grant Schemes. Within my Department, there are a number of measures in place to support the arts at amateur levels and include:
- Annual funding is provided to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann for its work in the protection and promotion of Irish traditional music and culture.
- Increased funding for the Safe to Create Programme, including Minding Creative Minds, that supports all artists and creatives.
- A new pilot capital support scheme for Arts, Culture and the Night Time Economy will support development of vibrant late night arts and culture scenes in Irish cities, towns and villages as well as additional capital to assist in the provision of building and equipment needs, artists’ workspaces, and adapting facilities to reduce energy needs and carbon footprints.
- The Music Capital Scheme managed by Music Network provides funding for the purchase of musical instruments to both non-professional performing groups/ensembles and professional musicians. This includes equipment for choirs.
- Creative Ireland Programme funding in 2023 is supporting the delivery of a number of creative projects nationwide.
- Funding is provided for cultural events such as St Patrick’s Festival, Other Voices, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann that in turns helps to sustain the arts at all levels.
- In collaboration with the local authorities, Fáilte Ireland's regional festival scheme is available to local community festivals;
- A small-scale local festivals and summer schools scheme designed to support local cultural festivals and summer schools that are not be eligible under funding criteria for larger scale events supported by Fáilte Ireland, the Arts Council and similar bodies. The maximum funding available under this scheme is capped at €5,000.
- Some funding programmes within the Broadcasting and Gaeltacht areas also serve to promote many artists and creative talents from across the music sectors.
- Finally, in response to Covid-19, capital funding was provided to local authorities to adapt, equip or otherwise improve public spaces for cultural and events activities as part of the pilot Outdoor Public Space Scheme 2021. These outdoor public spaces will provide year-round use and can improve well-being and contribute positively to the public realm.
583. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media how frequently the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund is allocated; if there is a live applications process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15108/24]
View answerMy Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF).
The National Sports Policy published in 2018 provided for the establishment of the LSSIF. The aim of the fund is to provide support for larger sports facilities where the Exchequer investment is greater than the maximum amount available under the SCEP. The first call for proposals under the LSSIF closed in 2019 with applications confined to local authorities and National Governing Bodies of Sport. The first LSSIF allocations were announced in January 2020 and thus far, approximately €124 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals.
A new round of the LSSIF will open for applications in the coming weeks, with the dates, terms and conditions to be published on the Department’s website in the coming weeks. I would encourage all eligible projects to consider applying for this competitive application process when it opens.
