Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 June 2026
84. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the level of funding allocated by his Department to arts organisations and cultural venues in Mayo over the past three years, by amount given and group/organisation, in tabular form; the further supports planned for rural arts development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44113/26]
View answerThere has been significant investment by my Department in arts and culture across the country, including Mayo, in recent years.
Since 2024, €46,000 was allocated in capital funding to the Linenhall Arts Centre and Westport Town Hall under the Cultural Capital Scheme. €27,000 was allocated to Mayo County Council for the Jackie Clarke Collection, to Knock Bookshop Publications and Museum and to the Ballinglen Arts Foundation under the Regional Museum Exhibition Scheme.
Other capital funding in recent years includes €1.7m to Mayo County Council for the Mary Robinson Centre and €250,000 for the regeneration of the former military barracks in Ballina under the Outdoor Public Spaces Scheme.
There has also been significant current funding allocated by my Department to arts organisations and cultural venues in Mayo, specifically €29,215 under the Small-Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Fund and a €604,280 allocation by Creative Communities to Mayo County Council, which includes Cruinniú na nÓg and Health & Wellbeing funding. Under the After Hours at the Museum’ Scheme the Michael Davitt museum and Ballinglen Museum of Art received €30,000.
In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, my Department was allocated €6m in Budget 2026 for a new programme of capital funding for arts and culture organisations across the country, which will see much needed capital supports for these organisations, along with supporting community and voluntary groups in increasing the participation in arts and culture. Subject to the appropriate sanctions being received from the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation it is hoped this scheme will be launched in the coming weeks.
Capital funding allocated by the Department to arts organisations and cultural venues in Mayo over the past three years (2023-2026)
|
Organisation / project |
Scheme |
Year allocated |
Grant allocated € |
|
Linenhall Arts Centre CLG |
Cultural Capital Scheme (Stream E) |
2026 |
€21,240 |
|
Mayo County Council re Jackie Clarke Collection |
Regional Museum Exhibition Scheme |
2025 |
€15,000 |
|
Knock Bookshop Publications & Museum |
Regional Museum Exhibition Scheme |
2025 |
€3,043 |
|
Westport Town Hall CLG |
Cultural Capital Scheme (Stream E) |
2024 |
€25,380 |
|
Ballinglen Arts Foundation Ltd |
Regional Museum Exhibition Scheme |
2024 |
€9,451 |
Capital funding was allocated to arts organisations and cultural venues in Mayo in earlier years, but the grant was drawn down in recent years. These include:
|
Organisation / project |
Scheme / Project |
Year allocated |
Year funding drawn down |
Grant amount € |
|
Mayo County Council for regeneration of former military barracks in Ballina (€250,000 grant) |
Outdoor Public Space Scheme 2021 |
2022 |
2025 2024 2023 |
€8,632 €25,000 €216,368 |
|
Custom House Studios |
Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022 (Stream A) |
2022 |
2023 |
€3,365 |
|
Linenhall Arts Centre CLG |
Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022 (Stream B) |
2021 |
2023 |
€28,876 |
|
Mayo County Council re Mary Robinson Centre (€2 million grant) |
Other Capital Project |
2016 |
2021 2022 |
€1,051,327 €685,972 |
Current funding allocated by my Department to arts organisations and cultural venues in Mayo over the past three years (2023-2026)
|
Organisation / project |
Scheme |
Year allocated |
Grant allocated € |
|
Áras Inis Gluaire - Ionad Ealaíona Iorras Teo |
Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Fund 2025 |
2025 |
€4,915 |
|
Circus250 Productions |
Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Fund 2025 |
2025 |
€4,880 |
|
Ballina Fringe Festival |
Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Fund 2024 |
2024 |
€5,000 |
|
CultureKids (t/a Circus250) |
Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Fund 2024 |
2024 |
€4,920 |
|
Ballina Fringe Festival |
Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Fund 2023 |
2023 |
€5,000 |
|
CultureKids (t/a Circus250) |
Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Fund 2023 |
2023 |
€4,500 |
|
Michael Davitt Museum |
After Hours at the Museum Scheme |
2023 |
€8,752 |
|
Ballinglen Museum of Art |
After Hours at the Museum Scheme |
2023 |
€21,285 |
Creative Communities allocated current funding to Mayo County Council from 2023 – 2026 which includes Cruinniú na nÓg and Health & Wellbeing funding
|
Year |
Amount € |
|
2026 |
€153,548 |
|
2025 |
€206,189 |
|
2024 |
€219,743 |
|
2023 |
€178,348 |
|
Total |
€757,828 |
