Written Answers Nos. 393-408
393. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if she will urgently intervene in the case of a child who is without a secondary school place in Limerick (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43235/24]
View answerMy Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.
Tusla have advised that this family has been in contact with Educational and Welfare services (EWS) and has been allocated and Educational Welfare Officer (EWO). The allocated EWO is providing guidance and advice to the family. An application has been made for a suitable school placement and this young person is on the waiting list for admission. This young person is currently engaged in education via iScoil an online learning platform.
394. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education the training that is provided to schools for the use of epi-pens; the regulations in place for the training of staff to ensure that a staff member is always on duty to give the epi-pen if required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43259/24]
View answerThe Board of Management of each school is responsible for the care and safety of all pupils. Where the school is aware of potential difficulties that may arise as a consequence of a medical condition suffered by one or more pupils, it may be possible for the management authorities, working in conjunction with parents, teachers and children to put preventative measures in place to lessen the possibility of any difficulties arising or to ensure that, if a pupil suffers from an illness requiring, for example, the administration of medication, that appropriate treatment is available.
The administration of medicines in primary schools is the subject of an agreement between the Irish National Teachers Organisation and the organisation representing school management at primary level. While this agreement specifies that no teacher can be required to administer medicine or drugs to pupils, it also sets out procedures that must be followed where a teacher or teachers agree to do so. The position is that either the parents of the child should make themselves available to administer medication as required, or where they wish the staff in the school to administer it, they should indemnify the school.
My Department cannot direct any member of the Board of Management or the teaching staff of the school to administer medical treatment to pupils, action and procedures which are normally carried out by medical professionals such as doctors and nurses.
Where a child requires adult assistance to assist in the administration of medicine and where the extent of assistance required would overly disrupt normal teaching time, SNA support may be allocated for this purpose.
It is a matter for the Board of Management to ensure that SNAs are in a position to effectively meet the care needs of pupils for whom SNA support has been allocated in the school, when appointing an SNA.
Where specific training is required, the Board of Management should liaise with the Health Service Executive (HSE) in order to ensure that the HSE provides guidance and training that enables the SNA to meet the care needs of the pupil in an appropriate manner. It is a matter for individual school authorities to make such arrangements locally.
395. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide an update on the work of the night time economy taskforce; the number of times the forum has met to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42417/24]
View answerFollowing the publication of the Night Time Economy Task Force Report in September 2021, a high level Night-Time Economy (NTE) Implementation Group was established which includes representatives from key Departments, Agencies, and Stakeholders and is chaired by my Department. The group meets regularly to oversee the progression and implementation of the NTE Taskforce Report recommendations. The Group also ensures that new ideas and new developments are included as the work progresses. The group has met 13 times to date.
Significant progress has been made across the 36 actions in the Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce. Some of the key areas of progress led by my Department include:
• The appointment of all 9 Night-Time Advisors in Dublin City, Cork City, Limerick City, Galway City, Kilkenny, Longford Town, Sligo Town, Drogheda and Buncrana, Co. Donegal. The Night-Time Economy Advisors are helping to drive and support a more sustainable Night-Time Economy in their local areas.
• The roll-out of key schemes to broaden and diversify the Night-Time Economy offering including the Night-Time Economy Support Scheme (2022) to support licensed and unlicensed venues to put on entertainment later into the night, in off-peak times, to increase footfall in towns, cities and villages and After Hours at the Museum Scheme (2023) which supported over 50 museums and galleries to open later, providing a diversity of offerings in small towns and villages right across the country.
• Funding towards later night events and openings in the National Cultural Institutions.
• Support for Culture Night Late - to date 70 late night flagship events have taken place on Culture Night across the country. The initiative has been very successful, the majority of events exceeding audience targets in excess of 500.
• Support for the Arts Council Late-Night Events Pilot Programme which saw funding allocated to 14 arts centres across the country run late night events.
• Support for a range of youth initiatives to support the needs of young people in the Night-Time Economy including running later events for Cruinniú na nÓg.
Other Departments and agencies have also been making progress including the National Transport Authority by increasing late night transport and improving safety and the HSE and the Department of Health on a safer nightlife campaign.
All of these initiatives are helping to strengthen our Night-Time Economy and aim to create a more diverse, inclusive and appealing Night-Time Economy for all. I will continue to work with the NTE Sector, our relevant Government Colleagues, Agencies and local Government to develop new opportunities within the Night-Time Economy.
396. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the position regarding the basic income for arts scheme; if she proposes to reopen the scheme for applications; if the scheme is under review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42453/24]
View answerIntroducing the Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme was a key policy objective for me. Since becoming Minister, I have been determined to focus on supporting professional arts practice and demonstrating to artists that they are valued, that their work is appreciated and that the contribution they make to enhancing all of our lives is understood.
While the research phase of the pilot scheme is still ongoing, it is clear from evidence collected to date under the scheme that it is having a positive impact on participants, and this is heartening to see. The latest data is available at www.gov.ie/en/publication/c28a3-basic-income-for-the-arts-pilot-scheme/.
This data shows that the BIA payment is having a consistent, positive impact across almost all indicators - affecting practice development, sectoral retention, well-being, and deprivation. Artists in receipt of the support are typically able to devote more time to their art, experience a boost to their well-being through greater life satisfaction and reduced anxiety, and are protected from the precariousness of incomes in the sector to a greater degree than those who are not receiving the support.
The BIA is a unique opportunity to gather such valuable data on the arts sector, data that we did not have before. In researching impacts on recipients and the ecology of the arts, this pilot scheme has the potential to change the landscape of the arts sector within Ireland and, indeed, change how it is funded.
In Budget 2025, Government made an allocation of €35 million for the Basic Income for the Arts in 2025. This is sufficient to fund the current pilot programme to its conclusion in August 2025 and also provides the Government with flexibility for a successor support.
While a Government decision will be required on a successor scheme to the pilot, I have made my own views on the importance of retaining and expanding the scheme very clear. The future of the BIA will be decided when the results of the research are available which will provide the Government with the evidence base upon which to base future policy decisions about the Basic Income for the Arts.
397. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for a breakdown of the funding provided to the Arts Council in 2016 to 2024 inclusive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42531/24]
View answerThe annual Appropriation Account and Revised Estimates for Public Services for my Department's Vote provides detailed information regarding expenditure and receipts including expenditure on the Arts and Culture programme as set out in the table below. The annual publications provide information on expenditure and multi-annual capital commitments is set out in the Department's Appropriation Accounts (Vote 33) for the relevant years which are published by the Comptroller and Auditor General and are available at: www.audit.gov.ie/en/publications/.
The Revised Estimates Volume for the Public Service (also called ‘the REV’) is published in mid-December every year. It provides more detail on the allocations that were announced in the Budget. The REV also summarises the forecasted spending that has taken place throughout the current year. The previous REVs can be accessed at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/e20037-revised-estimates/
A table listing current and capital funding in respect of An Chomhairle Ealaíon for the period 2016 to 2024 inclusive, in tabular form, is set out hereunder.
An Chomhairle Ealaíon / Arts Council - Funding 2016-2024
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year |
Funding (€m) |
Current (€m) |
Capital (€m) |
|
2016 |
60.120 |
60.03 |
0.93 |
|
2017 |
65.150 |
65.06 |
0.93 |
|
2018 |
68.213 |
67.92 |
0.293 |
|
2019 |
75.002 |
73.96 |
1.05 |
|
2020 |
105.002 |
102.957 |
2.045 |
|
2021 |
130.046 |
128.001 |
2.045 |
|
2022 |
135.180 |
133.135 |
2.045 |
|
2023 |
130.488 |
128.443 |
2.045 |
|
2024 |
134.097 |
132.052 |
2.045 |
398. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for a breakdown of the funding provided to Sport Ireland in 2016 to 2024 inclusive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42532/24]
View answerThe funding provided to Sport Ireland for the period 2016 to 2024 is set out in the table below.
The Budget 2025 funding being provided to Sport Ireland amounts to €115.16 million (€103.6m current, €11.6m capital). This substantial allocation will provide sustained funding for the National Governing Bodies of Sport and our Local Sports Partnerships, in addition to supporting high performance sport and the continued delivery of the National Sports Policy 2018-2027.
Funding allocated to Sport Ireland from 2016 to 2024:
|
D5 Subhead - Allocation (million) |
|
|
|
|
Year |
Current |
Capital |
Total |
|
2016 |
47.3 |
24.9 |
72.2 |
|
2017 |
49.8 |
2.9 |
52.7 |
|
2018 |
51.6 |
6.7 |
58.3 |
|
2019 |
57.3 |
4.9 |
62.2 |
|
2020 |
65.6 |
2.9 |
68.5 |
|
2021 |
91.9 |
12.6 |
104.5 |
|
2022 |
96.2 |
9.6 |
105.8 |
|
2023 |
89.7 |
9.6 |
99.3 |
|
2024 |
99.2 |
9.6 |
108.8 |
399. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for a breakdown of the funding provided to the Gaeltacht and the Irish language in 2016 to 2024 inclusive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42533/24]
View answerThe following is the information requested by the Deputy:
|
Year |
Capital |
Current |
Total |
|
2016 |
€ 10,867,000 |
€ 34,339,000 |
€ 45,206,000 |
|
2017 |
€ 10,967,000 |
€ 35,769,000 |
€ 46,736,000 |
|
2018 |
€ 10,467,000 |
€ 38,100,000 |
€ 48,567,000 |
|
2019 |
€ 13,967,000 |
€ 41,805,000 |
€ 55,772,000 |
|
2020 |
€ 21,724,000 |
€ 50,185,000 |
€ 71,909,000 |
|
2021 |
€ 19,224,000 |
€ 59,982,000 |
€ 79,206,000 |
|
2022 |
€ 20,921,000 |
€ 64,720,000 |
€ 85,641,000 |
|
2023 |
€ 21,571,000 |
€ 74,322,000 |
€ 95,893,000 |
|
2024 |
€ 22,071,000 |
€ 78,529,000 |
€ 100,600,000 |
400. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for a breakdown of the funding provided by her Department to the tourism sector in 2016 to 2024 inclusive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42534/24]
View answerThe total funding under the Tourism Services programme, along with a breakdown of allocation, is available in the published Revised Estimates for each of the years in question. The total funding for each of these years is as follows:
|
Year |
Current |
Capital |
Total |
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
|
|
2016 |
107,009 |
13,836 |
120,845 |
|
2017 |
108,700 |
13,271 |
121,971 |
|
2018 |
117,200 |
19,955 |
137,155 |
|
2019 |
136,173 |
39,482 |
175,655 |
|
2020 |
142,703 |
41,690 |
184,393 |
|
2021 |
179,940 |
40,990 |
220,930 |
|
2022 |
243,063 |
46,740 |
289,803 |
|
2023 |
178,168 |
41,090 |
219,258 |
|
2024 |
167,627 |
51,017 |
218,644 |
The Revised Estimates for each year are published on the Gov.ie website at www.gov.ie/en/collection/e20037-revised-estimates/
401. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason that a club (details supplied) was unsuccessful in its application for the recent round of sports facilities grants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42556/24]
View answerThe application referred to was deemed invalid under the terms and conditions of the Community Sport Facilities Fund (formerly the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme) as it did not include sufficient evidence required to prove that the club owned the land.
My Department has explained the issue in the application to the club directly and has also written to the club inviting it to appeal this decision. The club has since submitted an appeal and the appeal will be assessed.
402. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media how her Department is promoting tourism in County Kildare, particularly heritage sites like Kildare town; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42564/24]
View answerMy role and that of my Department in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national tourism policy development and in securing resources to assist the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, in implementing that policy.
The matter raised is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. Accordingly, I have referred this question to that agency for direct response to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
403. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide the details of costings provided to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, in the context of the National Development Plan 2021-2030 review conducted earlier this year; and to provide a breakdown of each project and its projected cost in each of the years 2025 to 2030. [42725/24]
View answerThe Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform’s (DPENDR) approach to updating National Development Plan (NDP) ceilings focussed on the years 2025 and 2026. This took place through bilateral engagements which commenced in Q1 2024.
These engagements mainly focussed on overall NDP funding for my Department and related expenditure sub-heads, with particular emphasis on requirements for key capital programmes, as follows:
• The Tourism Product Development Fund to further enhance Ireland’s tourism offering (subhead A.6)
• The National Cultural Institutions Capital Investment Programme, an important capital investment programme for cultural infrastructure. (B.7)
• Continued capital investment in Screen Ireland, which supports the production of audio-visual content in Ireland (B.12).
• Capital investment schemes by Údarás na Gaeltachta, including its Gaeltacht Ghlas programme (C.8)
• Funding for the 2023 round of the Community Sports Facilities Fund (previously Sports Capital and Equipment Programme) (D.3).
• Progressing projects in the Sport Ireland Campus Masterplan (D.5)
• Funding for a new round of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (D.7)
• Continued capital investment in facilities by Teilifís na Gaeilge (E.5)
Following discussions with DPENDR, my Department was allocated €255m for core NDP capital in 2025 and €295m in 2026. The provisional breakdown for each of the capital programmes for 2025, as set out in the recent Budget, is reproduced below. The final subhead breakdown will be confirmed in the context of the Revised Estimates Volume. Given the huge number of individual projects involved in the programmes cited above, it is not feasible to provide a breakdown of costings for every NDP project under my Department. In addition, projects under NDP programmes and schemes managed by my Department and its agencies may yet be subject to assessment, or may be going through the various stages of the Infrastructure Guidelines and therefore expenditure requirements are not yet finalised. Detailed allocations for 2026 will be decided in the context of progress and requirements across programmes next year.
|
- |
Capital (€000) |
|
A. Tourism Services |
50,184 |
|
B. Arts & Culture |
78,632 |
|
C. Gaeltacht |
24,665 |
|
D. Sport & Recreation Services |
106,365 |
|
E. Broadcasting |
5,515 |
|
TOTAL* |
265,361 |
* includes non-core capital such as Shared Island and Just Transition funding; also includes Appropriations in Aid. See budget.gov.ie for more detail.
404. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide a schedule of each swimming pool in receipt of public funding since 2020. [42789/24]
View answerThe National Sports Policy, which was published in 2018, provided for the establishment of a Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). 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 Community Sport Facilities Fund (formerly the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme).
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. All applications were assessed in accordance with the published Evaluation Procedures and Guidelines with the first allocations announced in January 2020.
Eight swimming related projects were allocated total grant funding under LSSIF of €19,950,592 as follows;
1. Sligo: Waterpoint Aqua Park – Allocated €300,000.
2. Kilkenny: The Watershed Development – Allocated €2,171,875.
3. Limerick: Askeaton Pool and Leisure – Allocated €1,265,750
4. Wicklow: Wicklow Swimming Pool and Leisure Centre – Allocated €1,796,600
5. Louth: Dundalk Leisure Centre – Allocated €300,000
6. Galway: Galway Regional Aquatic and Fitness Centre – Allocated €8,003,415
7. Dublin: Samuel Beckett Civic Campus Phase 2 – Allocated €5,650,000
8. Laois: Portarlington Leisure Centre Swimming Pool – Allocated €462,952
Earlier this year, Minister Martin and I announced funding of up to €120 million under the new 2024 round of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Assessment of applications is well advanced and I hope to announce allocations under this latest round of LSSIF in the coming period.
Prior to the establishment of the LSSIF, funding for swimming pools was provided through the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme. Payments made under that programme since 2020 are as follows:
University of Limerick (UL) €387,450
South Dublin County Council (Lucan Swimming Pool) €3,207,349
405. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide a schedule of each swimming pool in that is open to the public in the State. [42790/24]
View answerNeither I, my Department nor Sport Ireland has responsibility for maintaining a schedule of swimming pools open to the public, and neither is such a schedule known to me elsewhere.
The current landscape of swimming pool facilities in Ireland is complex and disparate and has a diversity of management and operational arrangements, including local authorities, private operators, local community groups and schools and colleges. The majority of pools in Ireland are privately owned by hotels and companies in the health, leisure and fitness sector.
The representative body for the leisure industry - Ireland Active - has previously estimated that there are over 400 swimming pools, both public and private, in operation in Ireland.
I was proud to launch Ireland’s first-ever National Swimming Strategy earlier this year, which sets out a vision to provide everyone in our country with an opportunity to swim. The public consultation that informed the Strategy’s development suggested that existing swimming pool stock is insufficient and as a result, a key focus of the Strategy is on providing improved facilities.
There is a specific action in the strategy to complete an in depth analysis of swimming pool provision within Ireland with particular reference to identifying gaps in provision and the environmental sustainability of facilities.
Swim Ireland, the National Governing Body for swimming, is currently undertaking an analysis of the type and nature of swimming pool ownership in the country and will publish a report outlining same in the coming period.
The deputy may also wish to note that Sport Ireland’s Get Ireland Active Digital Database of Sport and Recreational Amenities may be of assistance as regards the location of swimming pools in Ireland. This database, which is under continuing development, brings together the collective resources of the Government of Ireland, Sport Ireland, local authorities, state agencies, local sports partnerships, and Irish sport’s national governing bodies, to capture all sports facilities and places for people to be active in Ireland in one free, convenient, and comprehensive website. The database can be found at the following link: www.getirelandactive.ie/
406. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to detail the administrative processes under the current public spending code that would operate in respect of any potential acquisition of Rory Gallagher’s Fender Stratocaster. [42809/24]
View answerAs the recently announced acquisition of Rory Gallagher’s Fender Stratocaster guitar is being progressed as a donation to the National Museum of Ireland in the context of Section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, the arrangements in that regard are available online at:-
www.revenue.ie/en/personal-tax-credits-reliefs-and-exemptions/donations-and-covenants/donations-of-heritage-items/index.aspx
www.revenue.ie/en/tax-professionals/tdm/income-tax-capital-gains-tax-corporation-tax/part-42/42-05-01.pdf
407. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when she last met the chairperson and or the executive director of the Abbey Theatre; the issues discussed at the meeting; and when the next meeting with the chairperson and or executive director will take place. [42896/24]
View answerI met with the Chair of the Abbey, Mr John Cronin, on 17 September 2024, engaging in a broad discussion on the role of the chair, governance and the strategic direction of the Abbey Theatre. Senior officials from my Department also met with the Chair on 2 October. A date for a future meeting has not yet been scheduled.
408. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she can provide for several areas (details supplied) a list of all individual projects that have been approved for sports capital funding since 2020, in tabular form. [42918/24]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy is not collated in the format requested.
On 25 September, Minister Martin and I announced €230 million in grants for sports clubs and facilities under phase 2 of the Community Sport Facilities Fund (formerly the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme).
Over a quarter of a billion euro has been allocated to community sports clubs and facilities in 2024, taking account of the earlier equipment-only allocation of €26 million, with a total investment of €256 million. This will facilitate the largest-ever investment in sports facilities in communities across Ireland.
A full breakdown of allocations under this round can be found at www.gov.ie/en/publication/3f9fa-community-sport-facilities-funding/
A full breakdown of allocations under previous rounds can be found at www.gov.ie/en/collection/471ed5-sports-capital-allocations/
