Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the question. A budget of €7.15 million was provided as part of budget 2019 to further the delivery of the Creative Ireland programme. This will ensure the Department can build on the work accomplished in 2017 and 2018, continue to drive implementation of the programme at local level and fund specific projects, actions and priorities that further the wider aims of the programme.

A total of €1.86 million of the above budget has been allocated to the implementation of the creative youth plan in 2019. This includes doubling the number of creative schools from 150 to 300 primary, post-primary and Youthreach schools, increasing continual professional development courses and broadening our reach beyond the arts to creative practices among other initiatives.

A sum of €2 million has been allocated among all 31 local authorities to enable them implement their five-year culture and creative strategies, which I launched last September with An Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, whose Department is providing an additional sum of €1 million to local authorities.

Each local authority will, therefore, receive a total of approximately €96,000 in 2019 to fund a comprehensive local programme of activities. Some €800,000 has been allocated lo Cruinniú na nÓg, which will take place on 15 June 2019 and which aims to get children and young people involved in creative activities with an emphasis on making, doing, seeing and experiencing. Every local authority has been allocated specific funding in addition to its programme funding for local activities. We will also be running an extensive awareness-raising campaign nationally and regionally to get as many young people involved on the day as possible.

Approximately €1 million has been allocated to the national creativity fund, which was launched in May 2018. The 30 partnership projects being funded under this scheme were initiated in 2018 and will significantly add value, scale or both to the wider implementation of the programme. They will also help inform policy and cross-sectoral development in the area of culture, creativity, health and well-being. The scheme focuses on three areas: individual and collective well-being; innovation; and connecting communities.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

The remainder of the budget will be agreed in the coming weeks in line with the priorities for the Creative Ireland programme in 2019. These priorities include enhancing the potential of the wider creative industries. Other costs relating to targeted citizen engagement initiatives, research and costs associated with the effective running of the Creative Ireland programme office will also be agreed in the coming weeks.

The Deputy will appreciate that the overall allocations to each of the above elements at this point are approximate and may vary throughout the year as the programme unfolds. The matter of funding in 2020 will be examined in the context of the usual annual budgetary Estimates.

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