Written Answers Nos. 662-681
662. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the total level of Department funding that ComReg has received for 2024, 2025 and 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30419/26]
View answerThe Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) does not receive Exchequer funding. In accordance with section 30 of the Communications Regulation Act 2002, ComReg is funded by industry levies and licence fees.
ComReg is statutorily independent in the exercise of its functions in accordance with Section 11 of the 2002 Act and is directly accountable for the performance of its functions to Committees of the Oireachtas in accordance with Section 34(2) of the same Act. It also has a dedicated email address for any queries arising from Members of the Oireachtas at oireachtas@comreg.ie, and further information can be sought directly from ComReg.
663. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the main policy achievements of his Department since 22 January 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30473/26]
View answerAs stated in my Department's Statement of Strategy 2025-2028, the mission of my Department is to lead and enable the development of the culture, communications, media and sport sectors, to contribute to an Ireland that is active, connected and thriving.
The main policy and legislative priorities for my Department are detailed in the Statement of Strategy 2025-2028 which is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/organisation-information/statement-of-strategy-2025-2028/.
Some of the main achievements of my Department since 22 January 2025, which have helped to advance key priority areas, are outlined below.
Culture and Arts
• Cruinniú na nÓg 2025 took place with over 1,000 free creative activities for young people
• Commencement of the construction project for the redevelopment of Crawford Art Gallery in Cork
• National Archives published the records of the 1926 Census
• Grant funding of €1.4m announced for Culture Ireland’s promotion of Irish arts globally
• Publication of the Expert Advisory Committee Independent Review of the governance and organisational culture of the Arts Council
• Applications were opened for the new Basic Income for the Arts scheme
• Details of the America250 commemorative programme were announced
• Late-night museum scheme launched in support of the ongoing development of a diverse Night-Time Economy in Ireland with funding of €420,000
• Funding of €1m allocated to the Grassroots Venue Support Scheme aimed at supporting small established live performance venues
• Grant schemes announced for Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools, with a maximum grant of €5,000 available following a competitive application process
• Communications
• The National Broadband Plan marked the first connections to high-speed fibre broadband on Achill Island
• Funding of €15m per annum over a 5-year fixed period (2026-2030) to support a sustainable, nationwide post office network
• New Sectoral Adaption Plan unveiled to protect Ireland’s communications networks from extreme weather
• Series of measures were put in place to improve emergency response in the telecommunications sector
• Media and Broadcasting
• National Counter Disinformation Strategy has been published
• The Media Regulation Bill and the Revised General Scheme of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill have been published
• Coimisiún na Meán launched the Digital Transformation Scheme which aims to support the Irish media sector in a time of rapid transition with a focus on digital skills training and technology.
• €10m allocated to Coimisiún na Meán to support public interest journalism
• Coimisiún na Meán progressed the implementation of Ireland’s online safety framework
• Increased funding of €5.4m was secured for TG4 in Budget 2026, with provision for a new digital news service
• Sport
• Record investment of €28.5m in high performance Sport for 2026
• First NFL Game in Ireland delivered €104.5m for the Irish Economy
• €4m funding for Women in Sport Programme
• Publication of a new International Sports Diplomacy Framework for Ireland
• Funding of up to €5.7m was announced to help ensure that the 2027 Ryder Cup produces a lasting legacy in Adare, in the wider Limerick region and in Ireland as a whole
• Record investment of over €33m in core funding support to sporting organisations
• Confirmation that Ireland will host 7 games of UEFA EURO 2028 including 5 group games, a round of 16 game and a quarter final
664. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if it is the current policy of his private office/Department to formally invite or notify all local Oireachtas members of constituency events at which Ministers are in attendance in the course of performing their ministerial duties and functions; if he will provide the Department's current policy or protocol on this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30593/26]
View answer665. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to provide a list of all events across every constituency attended by the Minister in the course of his ministerial duties since 1 January 2026, where formal invitations/notifications to attend were not issued by his office to all local Oireachtas members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30611/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 664 and 665 together.
I wish to advise the Deputy that I undertake a wide range of official engagements across the State in the course of the performance of my ministerial duties and functions. Schedules related to these engagements are managed by officials within my Department.
My Department does not maintain a centralised system to record whether notifications or invitations in respect of individual engagements have issued to all local Oireachtas members in a given constituency. It should be noted that invitations relating to individual engagements are issued by the host organisations rather than by my Department.
My Department seeks to notify public representatives of engagements within their constituencies, where appropriate, having regard to the nature of the event and the associated logistical arrangements
666. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if there are solar panels in place on the rooftop or within the grounds of his Department building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30692/26]
View answer667. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if his Department has a solar panel policy in place in relation to the installation of solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30710/26]
View answer668. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if his Department has a solar panel policy in place in relation to the installation of solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by agencies under the control of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30730/26]
View answer669. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his views on the merits of installing solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30747/26]
View answer676. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the position regarding any buildings operated and owned by his Department that have solar panels in place to support the energy demands of the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30838/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 666, 667, 668, 669 and 676 together.
My Department is committed to reducing reliance on fossil fuels and maximising the use of renewable energy within the buildings it operates, in partnership with the Office of Public Works. Policies relating to the installation of solar panels on office buildings are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works, which owns the buildings.
My Department’s Headquarters in Dublin are in a Near Net Zero building, which primarily uses heat pumps for thermal energy. A woodchip boiler will be installed in the Department’s Killarney office this summer. My Department also has staff based in Tom Johnson House in Dublin, which it shares with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, which has solar panels on the roof.
Solar policies and the installation of solar panels in bodies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for those bodies. However, my Department works closely with these bodies to contribute to the national climate change mitigation effort. Additionally, my Department has funded works to improve energy efficiency in sectors under its remit, for example the installation of solar panels at sports facilities under the Community Sports Facilities Fund.
As set out in my Department's Climate Action Roadmap 2025, published on the Department's website, my Department has met the key climate targets in the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate, and has defined time-bound actions to progress to compliance with all the energy efficiency, climate action, and sustainability commitments in that Mandate. My Department also contributes to implementing the national Climate Action Plan, and to activating climate engagement and awareness across society including through cultural and sporting participation.
670. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the total spend on consultancy firms by each State agency under his Department's remit, broken down by the allocation to each named consultancy firm, for each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [30808/26]
View answerThe engagement of consultancy firms by bodies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for those bodies and the information sought by the Deputy is not held by my Department.
671. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport whether funding has been allocated for the development of an athletics track in County Longford; and if not, the reason for same. [30826/26]
View answer672. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will provide an update on any applications submitted by Longford County Council or local sports organisations for capital funding under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme relating to an athletics track. [30827/26]
View answer674. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if consideration will be given to prioritising County Longford in future rounds of sports capital funding to ensure equitable access to athletics facilities for young people. [30829/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 671, 672 and 674 together.
The Community Sport 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 (ETBs) and schools may only apply for funding jointly with sports clubs or organisations.
Longford Athletics Club CLG was allocated €300,000 under the 2020 round of the CSFF for upgrade works to the indoor athletics centre of excellence on the grounds at St. Mel’s College, Templemichael. There were no other applications for funding under the 2020 or 2023 rounds for athletics projects in County Longford.
In line with previous rounds of the Fund, a review of the current funding round has been undertaken and will be finalised shortly. I have asked my department to prepare for a 2026 round of the CSFF in the coming months. It is anticipated that the next CSFF round will particularly target areas and sports that have been under-invested in over the years.
My Department is currently collating feedback from sporting clubs and organisations from this most recent round and this is very valuable input to our ongoing preparations for the next round. New guidelines will be published in advance of the next round and these will include the eligibility and likely assessment criteria for that next round.
My aim is to have as many eligible sporting bodies as possible applying, by simplifying the application process and guide and carrying out a wide-reaching communications and engagement campaign.
All registered organisations on my Department's grant management system will be automatically notified when a new round of CSFF is open for applications.
673. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport whether he has conducted or commissioned any assessment of the regional disparity in athletics facilities. [30828/26]
View answerThe Programme for Government sets out an ambitious future for sport in Ireland where equality of access and opportunity is at the heart of everything we do in this sector.
The need to catalogue sports facilities to address shortages in areas that are currently underserved was first raised in the National Sports Policy 2018 – 2027 which recognised the importance of having an up-to-date database of sports facilities as the basis for a more long-term planned approach to facility investment. A clear picture of what facilities, including athletics facilities, are available and where they are would not only give the public more information but would help inform future phases of the Community Sport Facility Fund (CSSF) and the Large-Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF).
As for the next round of the CSFF, in line with previous rounds a review of the current funding round is currently being finalised and I would anticipate that a new next round should be announced in the coming months.
Get Ireland Active was launched in October 2023 by Sport Ireland and represents the first phase of a comprehensive national database of sports facilities. The database currently consists of more than 15,000 opportunities to be active across the country, including with sports and recreation facilities, public places such as playgrounds and trails for walking, running and biking. Additionally, other data – such as the Pobal Deprivation Index – can be overlaid on the database to identify areas that are under/over-served.
A companion mobile phone application has now been developed and is publicly available to download from both the Apple App and Google Play stores. It enables mobile access to the database with the aim of helping people of all ages, abilities and fitness levels to get active and take full advantage of amenities around them.
The database is currently undergoing further development and, once complete, Sport Ireland intends to launch a promotional campaign to raise awareness of Get Ireland Active and the benefits that it can offer.
675. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the measures being taken to ensure that athletes in counties without dedicated athletics infrastructure, such as County Longford, are not disadvantaged in competitive sport development. [30830/26]
View answerMy Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF) and the Large-Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Sporting organisations can apply directly for CSFF funding while applications to the LSSIF must be made through either a National Governing Body (NGB) of Sport or a Local Authority. In 2024 over a quarter of a billion euro was allocated to community sports clubs and facilities from the CSFF while grants totalling €173 million were awarded from the LSSIF. This is a an all-time record investment level in sport in Ireland.
A review of the current funding round has been undertaken and will be finalised shortly. I have asked my Department to prepare for a new round of the CSFF, which I expect to open in the coming months. New guidelines will be published in advance of the next round including inter alia the relevant maximum grants. It is anticipated that the next round will particularly target areas and sports that have been under-invested in over the years.
For further information on sports development programmes and initiatives I have referred the Deputy's question to Sport Ireland for direct reply.
Sport 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.
I would ask the Deputy to inform my office if a reply is not received in that regard within 10 days.
678. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2024 will be fully commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29567/26]
View answerMy Department is in the process of commencing the Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) on a phased basis. The purpose of the phased commencement is to facilitate the transition to the new legislation across the planning system, taking into account the need to liaise with local authorities, planning bodies and other stakeholders. A detailed implementation plan is available to view at www.gov.ie/planning.
An overview of the provisions of the Act of 2024 that have already been brought into operation is available to view at the following link -
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/planning-and-development-act-2024/
My Department is working to bring the remaining provisions of the Act of 2024 into operation as expeditiously as possible and this continues to be a task of considerable scale and complexity. All development consent decision-making functions of planning authorities and An Coimisiún Pleanála (including permissions, appeals, consents and approvals) continue to operate under the Planning and Development Act 2000 until such time as Part 4 (Development Consents) of the Act of 2024 is commenced.
The General Scheme of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2026 proposes amendments to expedite certain planning processes and to support the implementation and commencement of the Act of 2024. It is expected that the forthcoming Bill will be enacted in the Summer and subsequently the remaining elements of the Act of 2024, including Part 4, will be brought into operation.
679. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the Dowth Hall Demesne and National Park will be open to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29571/26]
View answerA Masterplan is currently being finalised, which will outline how Dowth National Park will be operated and managed in the coming years. It is intended that the draft Masterplan will be issued for public consultation later this year. Once the Masterplan is adopted, a phased approach to providing access to the National Park will be put in place.
680. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the instruction to the NPWS to consider a suite of options for the control of cherry laurel; when he expects the NPWS to report back with a determination of the most appropriate measures; whether a public consultation will be held on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29576/26]
View answerWhile it can have a detrimental impact on native habitats and species, Cherry Laurel is not a listed invasive species in Ireland nor is it included on the European list of invasive species of Union concern.
The process of adding any species to the list of invasive alien species of national concern requires a risk assessment of that species to be undertaken to ensure that the scientific evidence demands its inclusion. Once completed, a Statutory Instrument to amend the First Schedule to the European Union (Invasive Alien Species) Regulations 2024 and the Third Schedule to the European Union (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 would also be required.
In the meantime, Regulation 12 of the European Union (Invasive Alien Species) Regulations 2024 provides for emergency measures for species that are not included on the Union list.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department will consider options for the control Cherry Laurel, including legislative solutions, informed by the risk assessment which is being carried out by the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC). The work on the risk assessment is nearing completion.
As part of the overall consideration of this risk assessment, my Department will consult with stakeholders including other government departments and agencies. A public consultation may also be undertaken.
681. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current status of the fire services Bill; will this Bill move to the next stages. [29688/26]
View answerThe work of local authority fire services has, to a large degree, been underpinned by the Fire Services Act 1981 for over forty years. This legislation has served the country well, and key indicators such as fatalities from fire per million of population have continued to fall consistently to the point where they are at their lowest for forty years.
The Act was amended in 2003 primarily to clarify the responsibility of 'persons having control' of premises and to strengthen the powers of fire authorities to prosecute offences and serve notices.
Work is currently ongoing to review and consolidate the 1981 and 2003 Acts in order to ensure that the underpinning legislation enables our fire services to remain agile, resilient and adaptable.
Like all legislation, this is a complex piece of work, which necessitates consideration of multifaceted issues that impact on a number of different sectors. When my Department is satisfied that the legislation being brought forward is appropriate, balanced, complete and robust, it will be progressed.
As part of the review, my Department is currently engaging in a Public Consultation relating to the Ease of Escape Regulations 1985. Submissions are due to close on 24 April 2026, after which the feedback will be recorded, collated, analysed, and evaluated to determine appropriate changes and bring forward new Ease of Escape Regulations. This is the immediate legislative priority.
