Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

That will definitely assist with some of the backlogs we have heard about with the board. That is very welcome.

We now move to electoral reform and the heritage part of the Department. It is probably too parochial and self-interested to ask when the Minister thinks the Electoral Commission is going to report and when we will know how many seats are in our constituencies. I acknowledge that the setting up of the electoral commission is vitally important and long overdue. I welcome it. It is necessary.

In terms of heritage, I felt privileged to attend during the week the launch of the Heritage Council's five-year strategy. It was excellent and a recognition of the importance of local heritage, which developed and expanded during Covid as people were stuck within 5 km of home or even 2 km at times. The work that is being done on heritage at the moment is exceptional. I acknowledge the work of the Heritage Council and the work done in that regard by the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan. Could he briefly reiterate the funding for heritage that he outlined in his opening statement.