Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)

As outlined in the programme for Government, the Government believes that culture and the arts are essential to a well-rounded society providing opportunities for education, expression and community engagement. My Department is taking a number of steps to improve, increase and widen access to the arts.

A network of cultural infrastructure exists throughout the country with the majority in the ownership of local authorities. My Department provides capital support for arts and culture infrastructure while annual support, including programming and revenue supports, is provided by local authorities and the Arts Council.

The centre in Portlaoise referred to by the Deputy has been awarded capital funding of over €340,000 under various schemes from my Department since 2006. Within the past five years, it availed of funding to the value of €9,996 under stream D of the cultural capital scheme, a scheme which was set up in direct response to Covid-19 to assist organisations with re-opening safely.

As I mentioned, annual support, including programming and revenue supports, for arts and culture centres is provided by the Arts Council. I understand the organisation in question is in receipt of annual funding from the Arts Council and was awarded €125,000 in 2024 and €145,000 in 2025.

My Department has a capital funding scheme open for applications called stream E of the cultural capital scheme. It focuses on enhancing the existing stock of arts and culture centres throughout the country and provides grants of up €50,000. I believe the organisation in question is aware of this scheme and had been in the process of submitting an application in September of this year but has put it on hold and expects to resubmit the full application in due course. The Department would welcome this application as soon as the applicant is in a position to submit it.

Finally, as announced in budget 2026, my Department has been allocated €6 million for a new arts capital programme for arts and culture organisations across the country in line with the commitment in the programme for Government. My Department is in the process of designing the specifications of the scheme, including the setting of eligibility criteria.

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