Departmental Data

Tuesday, 24 June 2025

Ceisteanna (477)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

477. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to list every community-based festival and summer school that has approached him or his Department directly to solicit funding outside of the normal processes for grant applications on an exceptional basis to assist with developmental or other needs, over the past five years; the date of their request; and to list every community-based festival and summer school which received exceptional funding of this sort from the Department, and the date of the approval. [34201/25]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport (Deputy Patrick O'Donovan)

The Department receives a number of requests for funding each year. Most enquiries from community-based festivals and event organisers seek assistance with operational costs and overheads. In a proactive way, these individuals/organisations are directed to the Small Scale Festival and Summer School Scheme. However there are instances where these requests are received after the scheme has closed or where the support needed does not align with the parameters of the scheme. The Department considers these approaches on a case by case basis, particularly if the Arts Council scheme is closed to these applications.

Applications and arrangements for support outside the annual schemes are not separately indexed in the Department to provide a list of instances for the last five years, but all allocations provided in annual schemes or as special support that are arranged through the Culture Schemes and Initiatives Unit are published each year on the Department’s website and can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/publications/cultural-projects-funding/ .