Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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10. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to expand and prioritise capital grants for accessibility upgrades in arts centres, galleries and theatres in County Louth, with a particular focus on improving facilities for disabled performers and disabled patrons and if additional ring-fenced funding will be made available to support essential works such as accessible backstage areas, adaptive performance spaces, sensory-friendly infrastructure and improved mobility access throughout these venues. [64318/25]

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to ask the Minister about his plans to expand and prioritise capital grants for accessibility upgrades in arts centres, galleries and theatres in County Louth and nationally with a particular focus on improving facilities for disabled performers and disabled patrons and whether additional ring-fenced funding will be made available to support essential works such as accessible backstage areas, adaptive performance spaces, sensory-friendly infrastructure and improved mobility access throughout these venues.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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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. Annual support, including programming and revenue supports, is provided to this arts and culture infrastructure by local authorities and the Arts Council.

Within my Department, the cultural capital scheme was originally launched in October 2019 with a total fund of €4.7 million. Both An Táin and Droichead Arts Centre in County Louth were awarded funding under stream B and stream D of that scheme. Some €1.4 million is now available under stream E of the scheme, which was launched in June 2023. Grants of up to €50,000 are available to not-for-profit arts and cultural organisations. Projects that address accessibility, including accessibility audits as well as the other works mentioned by the Deputy, are also eligible for funding under stream E.

As I announced after budget 2026, my Department has been allocated €6 million for the new arts capital programme 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. This will see much-needed capital supports for arts and culture organisations.

The Arts Council also provides financial support to a number of initiatives aimed at increasing public access, participation and engagement in the arts. A new All In scheme developed by people with disabilities will support organisations such as theatres, museums, galleries and festivals to improve access, remove barriers and welcome more people with access requirements. The Arts Council is a partner in developing this new scheme with Arts Council England, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Arts Council of Wales and Creative Scotland.

Finally, as a follow up to the report of the night-time economy task force, the Department commissioned a survey in 2024 to examine the issues for patrons and artists with disabilities when going out at night and engaging in cultural activities. A report of that survey has now been finalised and it contains a number of recommendations that aim to improve access for patrons when going out at night. My Department is currently reviewing those recommendations with key stakeholders with a view to providing an action plan with practical measures towards creating a more inclusively accessible night-time economy.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Under the national human rights strategy, we have an opportunity and an obligation to really drive forward all those ambitious things mentioned by the Minister. It is about making sure we have an clear and ambitious plan to expand and prioritise capital grants specifically for accessibility upgrades. The Minister mentioned the new capital plan on which the Department is working. So many of our theatres are accessible but they are just accessible. The Minister mentioned disabled artists. We have forgotten about disabled artists in many ways. We need to be ambitious in our plan. Disabled artists deserve rehearsal rooms, dressing rooms and stages they can actually use. An Táin is accessible but is it comfortable for disabled patrons? I am not sure, so we need that funding for a really dedicated and ambitious plan.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is right. It is 2025. We should not have a situation where in some of our national cultural institutions, people with disabilities cannot go in the front door. That is the reality because of delays. Deputy Ó Snodaigh and I spoke about this a while ago regarding the rehabilitation of sensitive buildings and architecturally conserved areas. There are people with mobility problems who cannot go in the front door of our national cultural institutions. I find that intolerable. It really sticks in my craw that we cannot bring people in the front door regardless of their ability or mobility.

The Deputy raised a very interesting point in which I have a personal interest, namely, disabled patrons. Some of our cultural institutions can be a hellish experience, particularly for people with photosensitivity or neurodiversity, so the resdesign and design of them has to be done in conjunction with people who are neurodiverse and have particular disabilities. I welcome the Deputy's proposals.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am really heartened by the Minister's really positive response because, as he said, culture belongs to us all. It is not just for people who are able to get access or enjoy it. I look forward to seeing the Minister bring that attitude to practical policies and ensuring that all our people can enjoy our culture and cultural experiences because we have much to offer and a lot of people are not getting access to it.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I will be bringing forward proposals to Government shortly regarding the new arts capital scheme. It will be along the same lines as the sports capital grant scheme. It is a small amount of money to start with. We are testing the waters in year one but I hope to grow it exponentially over the next couple of years. It will be local authority-dependent. They own most of the properties around the country. It will not be open to the national cultural institutions. To be honest, they have enough money, which they get directly from the Department. This will be designed for the smaller groups around the country that do not have access to capital works and capital schemes but I will encourage local authorities to come up with schemes and matched funding and to be ambitious. We will put our toe in the water in the first year but I hope to grow it and, with the support of colleagues in the House, to do for arts and culture what we have done successfully over the past number of years for sport.