Results 4,521-4,540 of 7,556 for speaker:Catherine Martin

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tourism Industry (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: I thank the Deputies. I am concerned about any potential reputational damage to Ireland. We must be seen as a value for money destination so that people would want to return. Neither my Department or Fáilte Ireland have any role in setting the prices for accommodation. Commercial decisions such as pricing are the sole responsibility of business owners. I would continue to urge...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tourism Industry (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: My Department officials have engaged with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation and the Irish Hotels Federation on this very issue. On the VAT question I would point out that the reduced VAT rate applies to a wide range of businesses in addition to the hospitality sector, many of which are still...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: The Deputy asked about the steps I am taking to support the live performance sector. In 2021, my Department paid out grants of almost €54 million to support the live entertainment sector and drive employment opportunities for artists and crews, through the following schemes. There was €25 million for the live performance support scheme, LPSS; €13.7 million for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: Venues are a critical part of the landscape of musicians and bands, and music venues in west Cork are among the most high profile in the country. I am pleased a number of venues in that part of Cork were among the grantees under the live entertainment schemes operated by my Department, including the iconic De Barra's, Shanley's bar, Levis's in Ballydehob and Connolly's of Leap. In regard...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: I referred to the live performance restart grant scheme, LPRGS, which is supporting the live entertainment sector by providing those businesses with restart grants to derisk the plan of events in the spring and summer, and I hope that will assist with the costs of reopening. As I said, €14.7 million has been offered under the LPRGS. I can revert to the Deputy with information on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: I introduced the local live performance support scheme, LLPSS, in 2021 as part of a suite of measures aimed at supporting the live entertainment sector through the Covid pandemic. The scheme allocated funding to local authorities to stage live events and thereby animate our town centres for local communities. A key objective of the scheme was to provide for the procurement by local...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: In 2021, the scheme provided for 7,800 employment days among more than 5,600 individual artists. That relates to the overall scheme.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: For Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, for example, €245,000 was given. We give that money and the local authorities then look after the events and the artists from that. The Deputy will have seen those recent events, such as one relating to the poetry of Séamus Heaney in Irish from Féile IMRAM and Tír na nÓg in the Mill Theatre. I think there was even a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: It is about babies dancing together and exploring the wonders of music and rhythm at an early age.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: As I said, the most recent tranche was the €5 million for events up to the end of June and, more recently, due to its success, a further €5 million that will run up to Hallowe'en. The various supports put in place for the live entertainment sector were designed to address the challenges posed by the pandemic and, in particular, the constraints imposed on live performance by the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Funding (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: Platforms for growth is Fáilte Ireland's strategic, platform-based approach to large-scale capital investment in tourism product and it targets investment in line with specific platforms or project types that have been identified as a priority for tourists on the basis of research. Under Fáilte Ireland's first platforms for growth investment scheme for immersive, heritage and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Funding (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: We must also take into consideration the two years we have had with the pandemic. As I said, the €20.2 million in Westport House was Fáilte Ireland's largest investment ever in a singular tourism product. Funding was also awarded to Mayo County Council to develop the two state-of-the-art facilities to which I referred. Mayo County Council was also a successful applicant for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Funding (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: Fáilte Ireland indicated at the time that it would consider a second round but the current focus is on delivering the first round. A second round has not been ruled out, however. At a regional local level, Fáilte Ireland develops, supports and promotes tourism in line with the relevant tourism experience brands. To guide medium to long-term development, Fáilte Ireland...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Culture Policy (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: Ireland's well-being framework is the result of a programme for Government commitment to develop a set of well-being indices to create a well-rounded, holistic view of how Irish society is faring. The overarching vision for the framework is enabling all our people to live fulfilled lives now and into the future. The framework is a cross-government initiative, which is led by the Department...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Culture Policy (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: I firmly believe that culture and language are vital for our well-being in Ireland. This was clearly demonstrated particularly with regard to culture during the Covid-19 pandemic, and I will continue to make this clear to my colleagues in the Government. The Deputy referred to Wales. A key lesson, too, is that it is an iterative process requiring patience, commitment and planning, as the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Industry (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: I will enjoy that at the weekend. A tourism recovery task force was established in May 2020 and delivered a tourism recovery plan with recommendations on how best the Irish tourism sector could adapt and recover in the changed tourism environment. Later that year, I appointed a recovery oversight group to oversee the implementation of this plan. This group has reported regularly to me...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Industry (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: With regard to the hotel prices the Deputy mentioned, my officials have engaged with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, the Irish Tourism Industry Conferation, ITIC, and the IHF. They are also working with the tourism agencies. The Tánaiste and I co-chair a tourism and hospitality forum. That will be convening next week and we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Industry (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: As I said, the smooth running of Dublin Airport is of critical importance in terms of the recovery of the tourism sector. The DAA has the statutory responsibility to operate, manage and develop Dublin Airport, including all the operations associated with security screening at the airport. The passenger experience at Dublin Airport is falling far short of the service that citizens and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: My Department runs an annual small-scale local festivals and summer schools scheme. The scheme is reserved for appropriate not-for-profit festivals, summer schools and other such similar events. Funding available under this scheme is typically capped at €5,000. Although making available relatively modest amounts, the value of the payments under this scheme is amplified hugely by the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Martin: I agree with Deputy Dillon that festivals are of great significance to communities, even more so now after two years of being deprived of the festivals. The 2022 allocation has been capped at €5,000. The announcement is imminent for the 2022 allocation, which remains as it is. Although the scheme is capped, it is working in that it has a massive impact on local communities....