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

I have a soft spot for Macroom since my grandfather was born just outside it at Carrigaphooca, as I have told the Deputy before. Nevertheless we have to look at all of this from an impartial perspective. Project Ireland 2040 has given explicit recognition to the importance of our culture, language and heritage. It sets out the Government's objectives for capital investment in Ireland's culture, language and heritage. The plan includes a total of €40 million, or €4 million in each of the ten years from 2018 to 2027, to secure existing investment in arts and culture infrastructure nationwide and to ensure regional balance. A total of €3.9 million was spent on arts and culture infrastructure in 2018. This level of investment will ensure the upkeep of regional infrastructure right across the country.

The recent arts and cultural capital scheme to which the Deputy refers allocated €10.214 million to 134 projects under three complementary grant schemes for the refurbishment and enhancement of the existing arts and cultural facilities throughout the country. Over €1.5 million of this was drawn down in 2018 and over €3.9 million remains to be paid out over the coming years. This is the most significant investment in cultural infrastructure in a decade, with funding provided to arts centres, theatres, galleries and museums, artists' studios and creative spaces. The list of these projects with the amounts of their allocations is available on my Department's website.

The capital scheme is making a significant difference to many individual organisations. My Department is already seeing good outcomes and receiving positive feedback. My Department is currently giving consideration to a new round of grant funding for this capital scheme which is to be announced later this year.

In the meantime, the Arts Council in conjunction with local government, via the County and City Management Association, CCMA, commissioned an independent, strategic review of the network of venues and arts centres throughout the country. The review focuses on the infrastructure of professionally managed arts buildings that are open to the public throughout the year, and that will be used to help develop a co-ordinated, spatially informed strategy to support and develop the built infrastructure for the arts.

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