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

I thank the Deputy for her good wishes for Galway 2020. Last night's launch was a great success. I am sure it is a taste of things to come.

The overall spending allocations for my Department for 2020 will be announced as part of budget Estimates 2020, which is due to be published on Tuesday, 8 October. As budgetary negotiations are ongoing I am not in a position to comment in detail on my Department's 2020 budget allocation. My colleague, the Minister for Finance, has recently announced that the budget will be based on the assumption of a no-deal Brexit. Against that background, my Department will, within the resources available in 2020, continue to place emphasis on core functions and services, including measures to maintain the momentum created across the arts and culture sphere by initiatives funded by, or through, my Department, consistent with the Taoiseach's commitment to double the funding to the sector by 2025. This allows my Department to build on the increased funding received in the 2019 budget, which was 10% in respect of the Arts Council, 11% in respect of Screen Ireland, 19% in respect of Creative Ireland and more than €2 million in additional funding secured for our national cultural institutions which welcome more than 3.5 million visitors annually. We will also continue to conserve and manage our heritage as a support to economic renewal and sustainable employment, in compliance with legal obligations, and to conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystems in Ireland to focus on the environment. Measures will also further advance the statutory demand-led language planning process and ensure continued access to our islands.

My Department will continue to promote North-South co-operation, particularly in the context of An Foras Teanga and Waterways Ireland. We will also continue to focus on Project Ireland 2040, which gave explicit recognition to the importance of our culture, language and heritage for our sustainable development over the next decade and beyond. This recognition is underpinned by the commitment from Government to invest almost €1.2 billion in our culture, language and heritage over the ten-year implementation of the national development plan. Project Ireland 2040 provides for an investment of €460 million in the national cultural institutions, €265 million for a culture and creativity investment programme, €285 million in our natural and built heritage and €178 million to support and protect the Irish language, Gaeltacht communities and communities on our offshore islands.

See this speech in context