Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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50. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason Covid enterprise supports have not been provided to the circus sector here. [22307/21]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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Maidir leis an gceist roimhe seo, tá súil agam go mbeidh an próiseas críochnaithe faoi mhí Mheán Fómhair ar aon nós.

I wish to raise the issue of circuses. Circuses have been unfairly treated by the Department and the Arts Council. In practical terms, circuses have been singled out with regard to the lack of funding being given to them over the last year. As a result, many of them are in serious danger, will not get through this crisis and will have to fold up their tents. I ask the Minister why circuses have been singled out and treated differently by so many performance arts organisations.

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Circus has a long tradition in Ireland, incorporating classical or traditional circus and contemporary circus. Both strands are valued artistically, with classical circus having a long working history in Ireland, while contemporary circus practice is relatively new. The Arts Act 2003 cites circus as one of nine art forms. As an art form, circus attracts high audience numbers each year including many rural audiences and members of new communities.

The live events sector has been impacted by Covid-19. I know there were some drive-in circuses last year, which shows once again the innovation of the arts sector. Government support for circus as an art form is channelled through the Arts Council. While there are enterprise supports available for businesses and individuals impacted by Covid-19, these are matters for my colleague, the Tánaiste, in his role as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, as are the criteria for their eligibility.

Primary support for the arts, including circus, is delivered through the Arts Council which is a statutory agency under the Arts Act 2003. Funding for the Arts Council has increased steadily in recent years, reaching a record level of €130 million this year. It is important for me to point out that under the Arts Act 2003, the Arts Council is independent in its funding decisions.

The strategic context for the council's support of circus and all other art forms is set out in Making Great Art Work: Arts Council Strategy 2016-2025.  The Arts Council supports both strands of circus and, through direct support and strategic intervention, engages with the sector to assist individuals and organisations to develop high-quality performance and participatory work.

Circus is supported by the Arts Council by way of grants under a range of categories including bursary, strategic funding, project awards and touring and dissemination awards.  There were very significant increases in supports provided for the circus in 2020 and 2021, with over €2.2 million allocated to circus, street arts and spectacle in 2021. The council makes awards to circus organisations and to individual circus artists.

In 2020, many circus artists also qualified for the council’s Covid-19 crisis response award.  Details of all grants are available on the Arts Council’s website.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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With all due respect, that is an atrocious answer. Traditional circuses are not being funded. They are not getting any money from the Arts Council. I have put a dozen questions in to the Department. The Department has told me to go to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I have put questions in to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and it told me to go to the Arts Council. The Arts Council said it has no money for the likes of Duffy's Circus. It is an incredible situation that circuses are some of the most successful cultural and performance arts groups in this country. Their reach is incredible. Practically everybody in the country has a chance to access a circus. They wash their own faces financially, typically. They are even recognised by UNESCO for their heritage value. I think there is snobbery at the heart of this with regard to the fact that the Department and the Arts Council have refused point-blank to provide traditional circuses in this country with the funds to get through the pandemic. The Government has prevented them from functioning, taken their income away from them, and not supplied any supports.

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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With respect, I have clarified about the money that the circuses have received.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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The Minister has not clarified it.

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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There has been a steady increase in the budgetary allocation for circus, street art and spectacle over the past three years, with more than €2.2 million allocated for 2021, representing a 40% increase on the 2020 allocations. The €2.2 million expenditure in 2021 is made up of strategic funding of €1.107 million, project and programming funding of €690,000, which covers arts grants and project funding, as well as an artist support measure of €431,000, which covers bursaries and commissions.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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The Minister's answer is ignoring the actual, physical, material experience of circuses now. That information may have been gleaned through the Department or the Arts Council but the circuses are not getting the money. The Arts Council confirmed this week that it is not providing traditional circuses here with meaningful funding to counteract the devastation caused by Covid. Whatever the Minister is being told in her Department or the Arts Council, these circuses are not getting it. I ask the Minister to please meet with Duffy's Circus and the people involved in traditional circuses. There is a chasm between what the Minister just said and the experience on the ground. I have gone around in circles. We have spent at least four or five months putting questions to the Department, ringing up secretaries general, and having conversations with the Arts Council. The Arts Council said there is no money for traditional circuses.

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The specific circus the Deputy mentioned, Duffy's Circus, was awarded arts grant funding of €59,000 last year. Other circuses got more.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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That was not-----

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Deputy stated categorically in this Chamber that no funding was going to circuses. I am saying that is incorrect. I have pointed out the exact money that has been given. I pointed out the exact money that the circus in question got too. If the Deputy wants, we can discuss this afterwards, but I am telling him that this is what I have. Some €2.2 million was given and the circus in question got funding of €59,000 last year.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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Not as part of Covid supports.