Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am allocating a further €1.5 million to the Irish Film Board to build on its vital work in supporting Irish film, television drama, documentary and animation. This increases its annual budget by 9% to €18 million, 29% more than it was in 2014. Although autonomous bodies, the work of the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board builds on the pillars of the Creative Ireland programme. I look forward to continued success in collaborating with them in the year ahead.

I was surprised to hear negative comments about Creative Ireland from Deputy Niamh Smyth. I felt she played the person, not the ball. I found her personal comments regarding members of the Creative Ireland team both unnecessary and unbecoming of a Member of the House. Nobody knows better than she does the great work the Creative Ireland team has done with local authorities. She was more than happy to attend the launch of the Creative Ireland plans in Cavan recently, which makes her contribution today all the more surprising.

Access to arts is the driving force of Creative Ireland, which is why I have allocated €1 million to commence the initiative. I am pleased this figure will be matched by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, bringing the budget to €2 million for 2018. The initiative will be delivered in partnership with the Arts Council. For the same reason, I will double the arts funding to local authorities in 2018. This will harness the energy of pillar two of Creative Ireland, enabling creativity in every community which saw 750 events taking place across Ireland in 2017.

Culture Ireland will receive an extra €500,000 in 2018, a boost of 14%, which increases its budget to €4 million. The extra funds will allow my Department to deliver an enhanced cultural programme across Great Britain in 2018. This will build on both the unique relationship between our two countries and pillar five of Creative Ireland.

Our national cultural institutions will all receive increases in funding in line with pillar three of Creative Ireland. They will also be a priority in the €90 million capital investment I have secured between 2018 and 2021. A further round of the successful arts and cultural capital scheme is also planned for 2018 as part of this additional capital funding. This will improve and enhance our arts facilities across the country, in particular in rural communities. I will make further announcements regarding the €90 million capital funding for 2018 to 2021, as well as the longer term ten-year capital plan in the coming period.

I have allocated €47.1 million to my Department's heritage programme in 2018, including €36.7 million in current funding and €10.4 million in capital funding. Capital expenditure in 2018 will continue to focus on peatlands protection and restoration, along with the conservation and development of our built and natural heritage. I am increasing funding for the structures-at-risk scheme and the successful built heritage investment scheme, which will operate again in 2018. The focus on natural heritage will be threefold, namely the development and operation of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, on our nature reserves and continuing to meet our obligations under EU directives.

I am committed to developing North-South co-operation within the broader arts, heritage and commemorative activities of my Department, as well as through the funding for North-South bodies. Almost €40 million will support the two North-South implementation bodies, An Foras Teanga, comprising Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency, and Waterways Ireland. These budgets will be subject to approval of the North-South Ministerial Council in due course.

Up to €48.6 million will be allocated to the Irish language, Gaeltacht and the islands in 2018, comprising €38.1 million in current funding and €10.5 million in capital funding.

Each of the programme areas under my Department's remit will play a key role in the conservation, preservation and development of our unique cultural and creative heritage. I look forward to continued work on the programme in the coming four years, in collaboration with partners across the Government and at local, national and community level.

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