Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Fáiltím roimh an deis labhairt leis an Roghchoiste um Thurasóireacht, Cultúr, Ealaíona, Spórt agus Meáin agus Meastacháin Athbhreithnithe 2023 dar luach €1.066 billiún san iomlán do Vóta 33 do Réimsí Clár A, B, D agus E á mbreithniú. Tá áthas orm sonraí a sholáthar maidir leis na bearta suntasacha chun tacú leis na hearnálacha a bhfuil mé freagrach astu agus chun iad a neartú, agus iad éascaithe ag an maoiniú seo. Táim an-sásta deis a fháil labhairt leis an gcoiste maidir le príomhthosaíochtaí mo Roinne agus an fhís a leagan amach do na hearnálacha luachmhara fairsinge seo. Cuireann na hearnálacha seo go mór le geilleagar na tíre, agus tacaíonn siad le folláine an duine aonair agus an phobail ar fud na hÉireann chomh maith.

Almost one year after pandemic restrictions ended, these sectors now face challenging economic conditions with high inflation and energy costs putting pressure on businesses. They must tackle the urgency of climate action so we can safeguard our planet for future generations. And of course they must play our part in Ireland’s response to the war in the Ukraine. As we have so often done in hard times, these sectors continue to reinforce our resilience, solidarity, and understanding; and support society’s cohesion and well-being.

Total funding for 2023 for the sectors supported by my Department is as follows. In relation to tourism: Funding for Fáilte Ireland for 2023 amounts to €94.7, this is to help drive the sustainability of our tourism sector, boost industry recruitment and retention and facilitate the establishment of a register of short-term letting properties; continued additional funding of €15 million for the tourism marketing fund, giving a total allocation of €63.2 million for overseas marketing of Ireland and the development of The Invitation project; Tourism Ireland funding of €20.8 million; €36.5 million for tourism product development; €4.5 million for Ireland-EU just transition tourism funding to support ambitious climate action through the promotion of sustainable tourism; and €7.75 million for the Brexit adjustment reserve fund to grow tourist numbers and associated revenues from Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Minister of State will brief the committee in more detail on the position in respect of sport.

Prior to the onset of Covid-19, the tourism industry generated revenue of almost €6 billion supporting over 260,000 livelihoods equating to one in ten of all Irish jobs. Post pandemic, Irish tourism had a strong year in 2022,. Continued rebuilding lies ahead, however. Our primary focus now is on the sustainable development of this important economic and social sector, and marketing the island of Ireland as a desirable and competitive destination for both overseas visitors and domestic tourists.

We must remind ourselves that 2021 was an unprecedented year for arts and culture against the backdrop of the pandemic and the extensive restrictions that were still in place.

Venues were closed or restricted to very limited audiences. Survival was the primary focus. Thankfully, this has all changed since early 2022. Against this backdrop significant levels of funding have been maintained with total funding for the arts and culture sector in 2023 amounting to €356.982 million.

The budget provides for: retention of the record €130 million funding for the Arts Council in recognition of the transformational impact of this funding and to support the sector; €35 million for the basic income for the arts pilot scheme, supporting 2,000 artists and creative arts workers; funding of €30.2 million for cultural infrastructure and development including €7 million for artists’ spaces and climate adaptation measures, which will allow for progress in the ongoing programme of investment in our capital institutions including at the National Library of Ireland, the National Archives of Ireland and the Crawford Art Gallery; €11.5 million for the newly extended Creative Ireland programme, including a new shared island dimension; €6.6 million in funding for Culture Ireland for the promotion of Irish arts worldwide, an increase of €2 million on the 2022 allocation; €72.1 million for the national cultural institutions to ensure the continuation of their high-quality services to the public; additional funding of €1 million for Screen Ireland giving a total record allocation of €37.9 million for the continued implementation of the Government’s ten-year audiovisual action plan.

I should mention the wonderful success of Irish film at the Oscars this year, with a record number of nominations for "The Banshees of Inisherin" and with "An Cailín Ciúin" making history for the Irish language on screen. This is a testament to the levels of investment, support and continued development of the screen industry in Ireland.

The budget also provides: a €3 million allocation towards the cost of developing a new archive and exhibition space as part of the overall national centre for research and remembrance; and €500,000 for supports for artists and arts workers as part of the Safe to Create programme, co-ordinated by Irish Theatre Institute, in collaboration with Minding Creative Minds.

Funding for the media and broadcasting sector in 2023 will total €306.64 million and represents an innovative package which supports the sector from grassroots community radio and local newspapers to audiovisual media services and online regulation. The budget provides in particular for €7.8 million for the establishment of coimisiún na meán, the media commission, which will oversee effective regulation of online safety, support the provision of high-quality public service broadcasting, and put in place an expanded development and support framework for the wider media sector. I recently announced the appointment of new commissioners, including the Online Safety Commissioner, and they will take up their positions on an administrative basis next week. I intend to commence key provisions of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act and formally establish an coimisiún next month.

An increased allocation of €7.3 million to TG4, will enable the launch of a new dedicated children’s channel, Cúla4, in September. This will be a totally new channel, operating from morning until the evening. It will include a children’s news service, entertainment and education content, drama and Irish animation. It will reflect the diverse backgrounds of children living in all parts of Ireland, but particularly in Gaeltacht and Irish-speaking communities. Its development will also support new jobs through the commissioning of additional content.

A total of €6 million has been allocated to establish a local democracy reporting scheme and a courts reporting scheme which will support local, regional and national media on a platform-neutral basis. These schemes will be the first of six new schemes recommended by the Future of Media Commission. Separately the technical group examining television licence reform will deliver its recommendations to me next month. That report will be brought to Government in due course.

Gabhaim buíochas le mo chomhghleacaithe Rialtais as a dtiomantas leanúnach do na hearnálacha a ndéanann mo Roinn ionadaíocht orthu, ar chodanna ríthábhachtacha dár ngeilleagar iad. Go deimhin, tá ár bhféiniúlacht, comhtháthú sóisialta, agus folláine fhisiciúil agus mheabhrach bunaithe ar na hearnálacha seo.

The Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, will address measures in the area for sport for 2023. I officially congratulate him on his appointment and I am looking forward to working with him.