Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Is cúis áthais dom labhairt leis an Teach inniu maidir leis an leithdháileadh iomlán de €1.17 billiún do mo Roinn i mbuiséad 2024, agus achoimre a thabhairt ar chuid de na bearta lena ndéanfar cothú, feabhsú agus forbairt ar na hearnálacha a bhfuil freagracht agam astu. The sectors in my Department are vital to the employment sector, especially outside urban centres, and form a core part of how we identify as a nation, as a collective people living on this island and in welcoming those from abroad, and as individuals, through sports participation and fandom, through cultural expression, admiration, experience, through our native tongue which is embedded in the fabric of our identity, and across our engagement in news and communication with media, social media and online content.

As we stabilise after the shock of the pandemic and face into the challenges of the continuing war in Ukraine, other erupting conflicts and the very real dangers of climate change, we look to these sectors for means of understanding, resilience, comfort and positive connection. Participation in sport and culture fosters tolerance and empathy through shared experiences and helps to bring people together. At a time when there are so many divisive forces at play in the world, their contribution is more important than ever. We must also appreciate the significant contribution these sectors make to employment and the economy. My departmental colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, will address the House on specific measures around sport. The Minister of State, Deputy O’Donovan, sends his apologies as he is unable to attend. My address will focus on the sectors of tourism, culture, Gaeltacht and media.

The Department received a total allocation of €1.17 billion in budget 2024. The sectors overseen by my Department have great impact across society and they have shown extraordinary resilience in the face of, first, the Covid-19 crisis, and then increases in the cost of living. It has been a priority for me to ensure we can respond to these and other challenges in a robust and sustainable manner. Budget 2024 maintains and increases funding across a wide range of key initiatives. A once-off allocation of €57 million in current funding has been provided, along with an increased allocation of €40 million in core current expenditure. In addition, there is a further €4 million in capital uplift under the national development plan along with just over €10 million under shared island initiatives across the culture, Gaeltacht and tourism sectors.

For tourism, the total overall allocation is €216 million, which allows for continued assistance to the sector, especially those regions and businesses most affected by the downstream impacts of tourism accommodation stock displacement impacted by our national support for people fleeing the war in Ukraine. While the sector has recovered strongly over the past year, challenges remain and I am pleased to have retained much of the exceptional additional funding secured last year to help the sector build to full recovery. I am also looking to the longer term in assisting the tourism sector to increase its focus on and action in relation to climate change. To this end, I will be directing €10 million of funding to focus on sustainability and especially the implementation of policy measures to help tourism businesses in the regions worst affected by displacement. This funding will be directed at specific actions to support those businesses in areas such as domestic marketing with a sustainability focus, digitisation and recruitment and retention. As part of this, I have also asked Fáilte Ireland to consider the scope for business support schemes that could help the most affected tourism activities and attractions and to report back to me on options and recommendations within four weeks. I have also maintained additional funding of €10 million for overseas marketing of Ireland as a leading holiday destination.

Sustaining marketing campaigns at current levels will be crucial to ensure Ireland holds its strong share of voice for longer term success in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

In relation to arts and culture, Irish artists are reaching new heights in terms of international recognition, whether this be in the Booker Prize long and shortlists or at the Oscars this year. This is the result of sustained investment in arts and culture in recent years, and I am pleased therefore that funding totalling €367.406 million has been secured for this sector for 2024. The budget provides for a record €134 million funding for the Arts Council in recognition of the transformational impact of this funding and to support the sector. ·It also provides an additional €1 million in increased funding for Culture Ireland to enhance the overseas promotion of Irish creative workers. Changes to section 481 tax relief will further enhance Ireland’s attractiveness as a location for major international film and television projects, building on the remarkable success this year of “Banshees of Inisherin”, and “An Cailín Ciúin”.

·I have also secured an allocation of an extra €1.9 million to provide additional capital support for our regional arts infrastructure. This funding will assist regional players to meet their building and equipment needs, including equipment for measures under the night-time economy scheme and to adapt their facilities to reduce their energy needs and their carbon footprint. I will bring forward proposals in the coming months for a pilot initiative on how best to allocate these much-needed funds. ·This funding also allows my Department to continue to support activity in relation to the Safe to Create programme, including Minding Creative Minds; the Creative Ireland programme, including the innovative creative climate action measures; the continued development of the night-time economy; sustained protection and presentation of our national collections through the national cultural institutions; additional funding for Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann; and the continuation of the critical basic income for the arts scheme.

Fáiltím roimh an tacaíocht atá aontaithe ag an Rialtais don Ghaeltacht agus don Ghaeilge i gcoitinne. Tá mé sásta méadú 4% ar mhaoiniú d’earnáil na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta a thuairisciú, méadú a thugann go níos mó ná €100 milliún an infheistíocht a bheidh á dhéanamh ag mo Roinn san earnáil an bhliain seo chugainn, beag beann ar an maoiniú breise a bheidh ag dul go TG4. Leis an maoiniú a bheidh ar fáil don earnáil in 2024, cuirfear réimse leathan beartas i bhfeidhm taobh istigh agus taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht.

Caithfimid cuimhneamh go bhfuil méadú thar chuimse tagtha ar bhuiséad mo Roinne don Ghaeilge agus don Ghaeltacht ó tháinig an Rialtas seo isteach. Cuireadh timpeall €78 milliún ar fáil don earnáil i mbuiséad 2021 le hais an beagnach €100 milliúin a bheidh ar fáil di an bhliain seo chugainn. Anuas air sin, tá an Rialtas seo tar éis maoiniú a chur ar fáil do TG4 chun an stáisiún nua do pháistí, Cúla4, a bhunú. Tá an bhunsraith leagtha síos againn agus táthar ag dul a tógáil air sin i 2024.

Tá an méadú go €14.45 milliún ar leithdháileadh caipitil iomlán Údarás na Gaeltachta do 2023 coinnithe do 2024. Anuas air sin, tá maoiniú breise de €1.1 milliún á chur ar fáil d’Údarás na Gaeltachta in 2024 chun feidhm rialachais na heagraíochta a láidriú. Is cur chuige é sin atá stuama, dar liom, agus tús á chur anois le cainteanna maidir le buiséad caipitil na heagraíochta do na blianta amach romhainn.

Beidh tacaíocht breise ar fáil do scéimeanna um chuimsiú sóisialta do 2024. Leanfaidh mo Roinn ag maoiniú na scéime DEIS Gaeltachta in 2024. Chomh maith leis sin, cuirfear €500,000 breise ar fáil chun tacú le cohórt níos leithne daoine óga ó chúlraí faoi mhíbhuntáiste ar mhian leo freastal ar chúrsa samhraidh sa Ghaeltacht.

Beidh €1 milliún breise ar fáil i scéimeanna tacaíochta Gaeilge mo Roinne ar mhaithe le scéim nua a chur ar bun a thacóidh le múinteoirí scoile agus oibrithe in earnáil an luathoideachais barr feabhais a chur ar a gcuid scileanna teanga. Anuas air sin, tá €500,000 in airgead caipitil curtha ar fáil do na scéimeanna tacaíochta Gaeilge chun a chumasú do mo Roinn tús a chur leis an obair fhorbartha ar cheanncheathrú Chonradh na Gaeilge ag Uimhir 6 Sráid Fhearchair.

Bunaíodh líne nua buiséid €1 milliún in 2023 chun dlús a chur le cur chun feidhme Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú) 2021, d’fhonn spriocanna uaillmhianacha earcaíochta a leagtar amach ann a bhaint amach. Cuirfear allúntas breise de €500,000 ar fáil don obair seo i 2024 le tacú le hiarrachtaí mo Roinne forálacha an Acht teanga nua a neadú trasna an státchóras agus chun feasacht ina leith a chruthú i measc an phobail. Tá teachtaireacht thar a bheith dearfach againn anois maidir leis na deiseanna fostaíochta atá ar fáil dóibh siúd a bhfuil an Ghaeilge acu agus caithfimid an teachtaireacht sin a scaipeadh go forleathan.

Tosóimid sa bhliain 2024 le fuinneamh athnuaite agus le fios a bheith againn gur féidir linn a bheith ag súil le forbairt leanúnach na Gaeilge agus na bpobal Gaeltachta.

Funding for the media and broadcasting sector in 2024 will total €304.373 million. This allows for increased funding of €4.8 million to TG4, allowing for a 2024 allocation of €57 million. This is a total increase of almost €20 million since 2019. This funding will allow TG4 to support delivery of its strategy.

I am conscious that time is running out for my colleague.

As recommended by the Future of Media Commission and underpinned by the more recent NewERA analysis, the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and I acknowledge the need to provide interim funding of €16 million to RTÉ as required. This will be dealt with post budget and any further funding will be considered later in the year when we receive RTÉ's strategic vision.

The Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, will now speak on the increased funding to sport in budget 2024.

See this speech in context