My Department was re-configured as the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport at the beginning of June 2025. Across its broad remit of responsibilities, my Department directly funds a wide range of programmes and projects, and administers a number of grant payments. A number of schemes, funding programmes, capital funds, grant streams and other expenditure headings administered for 2025 and 2026 to date for the current functions under the remit of my Department are set out below by relevant sector.
The Sectoral Investment Plan for Culture, Communications and Sport under the National Development Plan Review 2025 provides a provisional breakdown of capital allocations for my Department for 2026 to 2030, including priority projects and programmes across the country. More information is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/publications/national-development-plan-review-2025-culture-communications-sport/.
The funding allocation for my Department’s Vote is set out in detail in the annual Revised Estimates for Public Services, available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-public-expenditure-infrastructure-public-service-reform-and-digitalisation/collections/the-revised-estimates-volumes-for-the-public-service.
Details of all expenditure by my Department is contained in the Annual Appropriation Accounts which are published by the Comptroller and Auditor General and are available at the following link: www.audit.gov.ie/en/publications/appropriation%20accounts/.
The Annual Appropriation Account for 2025 is in the process of being prepared by the Finance Unit of my Department and will be submitted to the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General by the statutory deadline of 31 March 2026. It will then be audited by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General and the final version published by 30 September 2026.
In relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department, this is an operational matter for the bodies themselves.
Arts & Culture
A full list of all arts payments is published on my Departments website on an annual basis and can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/publications/creative-arts-grants-and-funding-previous-schemes/
Grant payments in respect of the following schemes operated by my Department are published on my website and can be found at the following link:www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/publications/cultural-projects-funding/.
• the Regional Museum Exhibition Scheme,
• the Co-operation with Northern Ireland Scheme,
• the Small Scale Festivals and Summer School Scheme and
• the Mobility of Collections Scheme.
Culture Ireland
Culture Ireland operates a range of funding programmes to support and promote the presentation of Irish arts internationally. Current initiatives include a Regular grants round, the See Here scheme, Delegate Scheme and a Showcase programme, details of which can be found at the following link: www.cultureireland.ie/funding/.
Creative Ireland Programme
The Creative Ireland Programme is an all-of-government, culture-based initiative, led by my Department. The strategic vision of the programme is to put creativity at the heart of public policy to allow every person in Ireland the opportunity to realise their creative potential. More information in relation to the Creative Ireland Programme can be found at the following link: www.creativeireland.gov.ie/en/.
Communications
Digital Connectivity Office
The National Broadband Plan contract provides for a future proofed high-speed broadband network to be deployed by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to people living and working in the intervention area. In parallel with the ongoing oversight of the contract with National Broadband Ireland, the Department’s Digital Connectivity Office developed the Local Authority Funding Scheme (LAFS) to assist Local Authorities and the Road Management Office (RMO) with the processing of NBI's licence applications in recognition of the scale of the project and demand on Local Authority resources.
The scheme commenced in quarter 3 of 2022 for three years, ending in quarter 3 of 2025. The funding distributed €2 million per year (€6 million total) among 31 Local Authorities and the RMO. Each Local Authority and the RMO submit a grant application form ahead of receipt of funding with a signed grant agreement to confirm the money will be put towards effective management of the processes for Section 254 licences, road opening licences, engineering issues, and/or campaigns and other activities relating to the rollout by NBI of the National Broadband Plan network.
Further information on the National Broadband Plan can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/publications/national-broadband-plan/
Sport
Community Sports Facilities Fund and Sports Capital Programme
The Community Sports Facilities fund (CSFF) provides grants to assist in the development or refurbishment of sports facilities and the provision of sports equipment. Grants are available to voluntary, not-for profit sports clubs, community groups, NGBs, and local authorities. Third level colleges, Education and Training Boards and schools may only apply for funding jointly with sports clubs or organisations. All CSFF and Sports Capital Programme payments are published on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/collections/sports-capital-programmes-payments/.
Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund
The Large-Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) was established to provide support for larger sports facility projects, typically those requiring investments greater than the maximum available under the CSFF. Details of the LSSIF payments are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/services/large-scale-sport-infrastructure-fund-lssif-2018/.
