Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The objective is to protect and support the Irish language in Gaeltacht communities. Does the Minister of State have any idea of the number of Gaelscoileanna that were set up this year, considering it is Bliain na Gaeilge? As for promotion of the Irish language, does he have any idea whether many Irish language primary schools have been set up, given the year that is in it? This is really more of a comment. I noticed over the summer months that the one post office in the Gaeltacht area in County Kerry was closed. It is very disappointing to see that post office close when we are spending so much money, which is welcome, to support and protect the Irish language in Gaeltacht communities. The post office is one thing for which there should have been special protection, considering it was in a Gaeltacht area.

Will the Minister expand on the €700,000 carry-over, how it occurred and what it came from. There are 38,000 students engaging in the creative schools for March 2018. That is very welcome. From my experience working in the arts, continuity is hugely important. During 2018 to 2019, 38 students have accessed the initiative. Will these 38 students be involved repeatedly or are these once-off projects? Continuity is what will mark the success of Creative Ireland.

Cruinniú na Cásca was set aside and we were introduced to Cruinniú na nÓg. Is Cruinniú na Cásca gone off the agenda for Creative Ireland? If so, will Cruinniú na nÓg continue year on year or will it be wiped out next year?

I refer to the small festivals funding from Creative Ireland. As the Minister will know from our debates and discussions in the Chamber, I feel very passionate that the Arts Council should continue to do the job it has been anointed to do. To me, to start handing out small grant funding from Creative Ireland is to duplicate the role of the Arts Council. Small as it might be, I think the Minister said she has €50,000 to spend. To me, this is the role of the Arts Council and should not be the role of Creative Ireland. Will the Minister expand on this?

We have seen the debacle in Galway. I was at the Galway International Arts Festival this year, and we had John Crumlish and Paul Fahy at our last committee meeting. They do wonderful work to promote the arts nationally and of course to promote Galway city. At that time the excitement was palpable around the city because of it being a 2020 European Capital of Culture. It is very disappointing to see how it has unravelled in recent months. This is more of a comment, but I believe the Minister sees that the Government could play a huge part in bringing people together there. There needs to be someone who will wrap his or her arms around everyone, as it were, and get everyone singing from the same hymn sheet because not only is this important for Galway city, the eyes of the world, particularly the European Union, will be on Galway and Ireland as a county and a nation in 2020.

I support what the Chairman said about the roadmap for Arts Council spending. The Taoiseach himself outlined that in six years from now we will be back at double the amount of spending, and I emphasise the fact that that is current spending and not a muddle of current and capital.

Those are my questions. I would like to get comments back on them.