Written Answers Nos. 522-540
524. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she has considered including representation for the workers at the National Gallery of Ireland on its board of governors; and the measures she intends to take to ensure workers are included in decision making at our national cultural institutions. [44647/24]
View answerThe National Gallery of Ireland is established under statute (the National Gallery of Ireland Acts) that operates under the aegis of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
The composition of the Board of the Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery of Ireland is prescribed under those Acts. The Board comprises up to seventeen members, of which ten are Ministerial appointments, five are ex-officio holders of the offices listed below, and two are nominated and appointed by the Royal Hibernian Academy under a power assigned to that organisation under the Acts:
· Royal Hibernian Academy: President
· Royal Dublin Society: President and Vice-President
· Royal Irish Academy: President
· Office of Public Works: Chairperson.
The NGI Board is non-executive and is responsible for oversight of the Gallery’s affairs, whereas the Executive Leadership Team, led by the Director, is responsible for the day-to-day management of, and decision-making for, the Gallery.
The Gallery also has processes for staff consultation in place (for example, the recent consultation conducted for the development of Gallery’s Strategic Plan 2024 – 2028) and there is close communication on decision-making between the ELT and Head of Departments and all staff via staff town hall meetings and union meetings.
525. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to outline any planned investment to support cultural initiatives in Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44678/24]
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.
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, in collaboration with RTÉ and with local authorities, 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. I am delighted to have secured a new record of €140m in Budget 2025 for the Arts Council.
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 grants to secure 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 and professional levels and include:
• Annual funding provided to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann for its work in the protection and promotion of Irish traditional music and culture.
• In 2024 €7.6m, which is the highest level of funding for Culture Ireland since its establishment, will support more Irish artists to launch and develop their careers on an international stage. I have managed to secure the highest ever allocation of €8 million for Culture Ireland in Budget 2025.
• The Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme is a three year, €105m scheme involving 2,000 artists and creative arts workers nationwide.
• 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.
• Creative Ireland Programme funding in 2023 is supporting the delivery of a number of creative projects nationwide including ones in County Kildare.
• 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.
• Tourism Ireland works with many festivals to provide exposure for them in key markets oversea.
• Some funding programmes within the Broadcasting and Gaeltacht areas also serve to promote many artists and creative talents from across the music sectors.
Heritage sites and initiatives are supported by my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and also by the Heritage Council which is under the aegis of his Department.
526. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the investment being planned to develop sports facilities in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44685/24]
View answerOn 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) including over €8.2 million in allocations to clubs and sporting organisations in Kildare.
Yesterday, Minister Martin and I announced the second round of funding allocations under the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). In relation to Co Kildare, under the second round of the LSSIF, allocations were awarded to Sallins Park, Naas and to the Cross-Community Development Project at Naas GAA, of €3 million and €1 million respectively, as well as an allocation of €1.4 million to the Golf Ireland high performance centre. All remaining valid applications under this round of the LSSIF will be placed on a reserve list which will be published in the coming period.
527. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of times her Department hired out an external forensic accountant to carry out works on behalf of her Department in 2023 and to-date in 2024; the company that provided the forensic accountancy service; and the amount her Department paid for this service in each of the years in question, in tabular form. [44850/24]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the information sought in respect of my Department is specified in the following table.
|
Year |
Company that provided the forensic accountancy service |
Total Amount Paid (incl. VAT) |
|
2023 |
Mazars |
€236,898 |
|
2024 |
Mazars |
€49,262 |
528. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of mobile phones issued to staff in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; and the total costs expended by her Department on handsets and phones bills over the same timeframe. [44870/24]
View answerThe following table sets out the number of mobile phones issued to staff and total expenditure by my Department on handsets and phones bills in the periods specified by the Deputy. These figures include new purchases and new mobile provider replacement handsets.
|
Year |
Handsets Issued to Staff |
Handsets & Phone Bills Costs (excl. VAT) |
|
2022 |
121 |
€113,714.91 |
|
2023 |
47 |
€79,800.47 |
|
2024 (to date) |
158 |
€56,705.89 |
529. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if an appeal was received (details supplied); when this club can expect to receive a decision on the appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44931/24]
View answer530. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if an appeal was received (details supplied); when this club can expect to receive a decision on the appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44932/24]
View answer531. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if an appeal was received (details supplied); when this club can expect to receive a decision on the appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44933/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 529 to 531, inclusive, together.
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.
The deadline for appeals was 29 October and the process of reviewing the appeals is currently ongoing. All clubs will be advised of the outcome of their appeals shortly.
532. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to examine the case of a GAA club (details supplied) who have appealed the amount they were allocated in the Sports Capital Fund which is well below the cost of completing the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44949/24]
View answerOn 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.
The deadline for appeals was 29 October and the reviewing of appeals is currently ongoing. All clubs will be advised of the outcome of their appeals shortly.
533. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media whether there are funding streams available for exceptional athletes in sports that are not represented by a national governing body in Ireland, such as jiu-jitsu; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45102/24]
View answerSport 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, including the allocation of funding across its various programmes. Sport Ireland channels the funding through the relevant National Governing Body of sport (NGB). There is no mechanism by which Sport Ireland can allocate funding outside of this process.
Sport Ireland provides funding directly to athletes under a variety of schemes, including the International Carding Scheme. These are NGB-led funding schemes which serve to support athletes in achieving podium success at European and world level.
Under the International Carding Scheme, Sport Ireland provides direct funding to athletes who are competing in Olympic and Paralympic events only. This is a criteria-based scheme, based on performance, and involves the setting of sport specific standards through a collaborative process between Sport Ireland and the NGBs.
Jiu-jitsu is not a Sport Ireland-recognised NGB and therefore is not eligible for funding through Sport Ireland. Unfortunately, there is no discretionary funding available to this Department through which financial assistance could be provided to athletes in sports that are not represented by a national governing body in Ireland, such as jiu-jitsu.
Sport Ireland operates a formal recognition process for organisations wishing to become eligible for support as Governing Bodies of Sport. The recognition criteria establish minimum requirements for all organisations wishing to apply for recognition and, in turn receive support and, where additional Sport Ireland criteria may be met, financial investment from Sport Ireland. Further information on the Recognition Process and Criteria is available on the Sport Ireland website here. Sport Ireland can be contacted directly by e-mail at recognition@sportireland.ie or by telephone on 01-8608800.
534. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of WTE solicitors employed by her Department in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [45187/24]
View answerIn 2023 and to date, this Department has one Advisory Counsel Grade III serving in the Legal Unit of this Department. This official is seconded from the Office of the Attorney General in line with standard practice across all Government Departments.
As my Department does not hold a record of qualifications held by staff members, there may be staff employed in the Department who have a legal qualification but are employed in a different position.
535. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she intends to travel to China; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45258/24]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that I do not currently intend to travel to China.
536. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will facilitate a briefing of locally elected members of Cork City Council by the Attorney General and senior Department officials on the issues of the project development board regarding the retendering of the Cork event centre; and if he will assign a date for that to happen in person. [44545/24]
View answerThe Cork Event Centre was included as a Government commitment under the revised National Development Plan in 2021. This underlines the Government’s support for urban regeneration, enhanced amenity and heritage, associated quality of life standards, balanced regional development, and the regeneration and development of Cork City Centre.
The Government decision of 22 October re-affirms its commitment to and ongoing Exchequer funding support for an Events Centre in Cork City, given its strategic alignment with the growth ambition for Cork City, as set out in the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan. The decision requires that the procurement process begins afresh and that a project development board, led by Cork City Council, be established to expedite the process.
My Department wrote to Cork City Council on the 31 October outlining details of the Government decision and the next steps required of the Council in order to begin formation of the project development board, including identification of potential board members and drafting the terms of reference for the board. These initial steps are expected to be completed and the board established within a matter of weeks.
Responsibility for the new process rests with the project development board and as such any briefings of locally elected members will need to be considered by the board, once it is established.
537. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are any plans to provide an extension to allow property owners to connect to the main sewer in Alderwood Road in Tralee, County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43907/24]
View answerInvestment in water and waste water services in the State is delivered through the national utility, Uisce Éireann.
The National Development Plan 2021-2030 provided for over €243 million funding over the period 2021 to 2025 for non-Uisce Éireann investment in rural water infrastructure and services.
My Department’s Multi-Annual Rural Water Rural Water Programme (MARWP) is the main funding stream providing this funding. A core purpose of the Programme is to provide the necessary funding to improve the quality, reliability and efficiency of water services for rural dwellers.
I can confirm that, in 2016, my Department approved funding under the MARWP for a Community Waste Water Connection at the location referred to in the Question.
I understand that Kerry County Council has not progressed this project.
The responsibility for the implementation of the MARWP is devolved to individual local authorities and in each there is a Rural Water Liaison Officer who is responsible for the day to day administration of projects. For further information on the issue, the officer can be contacted at Kerry County Council.
538. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will approve applications for refurbishment funding which are currently pending with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (details supplied). [43930/24]
View answerRecords inform that there are no applications for refurbishment funding currently with my Department for approval for the organisation referenced.
539. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount collected in counties Roscommon and Galway under the vacant sites levy since it was introduced; and the number of buildings that have been identified to pay this levy in both counties, with the corresponding town listed, in tabular form. [43945/24]
View answerLocal authorities are required to submit an annual return to my Department providing information on the implementation of the vacant site levy under the provisions of the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 in their functional areas. The most recent information provided by Galway and Roscommon County Councils in this regard is provided in the tables at the link below.
Under the provisions of the Act, local authorities are required to maintain a vacant site register in respect of properties deemed to be vacant sites in their respective functional areas. Under the Act, the register shall be kept at the offices of the planning authority and be available for inspection at the offices of the planning authority during office hours and on the planning authority’s website. My Department does not collect data on the location of vacant sites or the value of vacant sites' levies each has brought in.
Galway County Council has advised that work had been undertaken and will continue through various mechanisms to identify potential sites that may fall under the criteria as suitable for consideration for inclusion on to a Vacant Site Register.
Within the last two and a half years, a number of towns have been assessed in terms of potential sites. A number of sites within villages and towns have also been identified through the Local Area Plan/Development Plan process as a mechanism to focus on bringing sites forward for appropriate development within village and town settings. However, the Council is cognisant of the underlying principal behind the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act to encourage efficient development of vacant residentially zoned land and not simply to apply a levy to the landowners. Assessment of other settlements have also been carried out as part of the formal development plan review process.
Further information is available at the link:
540. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what other soft costs, such as connection fees and levies, are included in the price of each house; and the amount the Government, local authorities and semi-State utilities collect on all soft costs which are included in the building of all homes in Ireland. [44001/24]
View answerMy Department published the Total Development Cost report in September 2024. This study provides a complete overview of development costs including construction costs and soft costs.
It defines soft costs as being made up of a range of indirect costs which are incurred in the process of development and can include indirect costs including statutory fees, professional fees, finance and development contingencies, Utility Levies (including ESB, Uisce Éireann, Planning fees, BER Certificate, Latent Defects Insurance) land costs and Vat. The percentage of each element of soft cost will vary depending on a range of factors including house type, location, size and specification.
The Total Development Cost report, which includes the breakdown for soft costs for a typical house, suburban and urban apartments and purpose built student accommodation, can be accessed on my Department's website at the following link: assets.gov.ie/305884/f49ac2f1-c784-4b0e-957d-8869c574d123.pdf
Government initiatives introduced last year included the development levy waiver and the Uisce Éireann rebate. The development levy waiver has since been extended to include residential developments for which development works commence before the end of 2024 and with completion dates up to 31 December 2026.
The water connection charges refund applies to residential developments commencing on site between 25 April 2023 and 30 September 2024, and which are also to be completed no later than 31 December 2026. Applications for Uisce Éireann refunds can only be accepted up to 31 December 2024.
Local authority income from planning application fees and development contributions is published in the Amalgamated Audited Annual Financial Statements of all 31 local authorities, and can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/e103b-local-authority-annual-financial-statements/
