Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2026
560. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when his Department intends to publish a detailed breakdown of the additional €600,000 allocated to an organisation (details supplied), specifying the programme areas to which the funding will apply and the outputs expected in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16904/26]
View answerComhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ) was founded in 1951 and is involved in the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music. It is an unincorporated cultural movement with branches nationally and worldwide. Its aims and objectives are to promote Irish Traditional Music, dancing, and the Irish Language, to foster and promote traditional singing both in English and Irish and to create a closer bond among all enthusiasts of Irish music and traditions on a global basis. The organisation has continued to grow, and its membership has expanded across the globe to places as far away as Tokyo and Columbia.
My Department provides annual funding to Comhaltas under Category A of the A6 subhead. Funding of €2,550,000 was provided in 2025. An increase of €600,000 was announced in this year’s Budget Statement, bringing the annual allocation to €3,150,000 for the current year.
Official funding and liaison with CCÉ is conducted at national level, respecting the autonomy of the organisation to make arrangements for their 20 centres and 450 branches. The official support is allocated towards the operational costs of the Cultúrlann in Monkstown, the regional and outreach centres, assistance to branches including support for the staging of regional and provincial fleadheanna, and diaspora network development. Additional support was provided in 2026 in recognition of the 75th anniversary of the founding of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and to support continued development of the organisation. This additional funding will enable Comhaltas to make progress on their strategic planning as outlined in the Comhaltas 2030 Prospectus published in 2025. Amongst other things, it will support the strengthening of the management and reporting framework in the organisation in recognition of the remarkable growth in recent years. CCE currently conduct c.1,500 classes per week and organise 44 fleadhanna. An estimated 3,000,000 people engage annually with the Comhaltas organisation worldwide.
This support aims to provide for consistent and assured funding through the year of a very successful community based voluntary association. I believe this support will empower the continued growth of CCÉ and sustain their important work on cultural heritage and development. My Department remains satisfied with the general application of resources to best effect as determined within CCÉ and with the arrangements reflected in the service level agreement concluded annually with the Department. Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann is required to enter into this agreement with the Department on an annual basis, with a view to ensuring that resources are used in a proficient and cost-effective manner to deliver quality services to the public. This agreement sets out the role of the Department in enabling Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann to fulfil its mandate.
