Results 3,321-3,340 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: We are not underestimating the challenges that exist and we are looking at all options. We will take into consideration the points raised by the Deputy, particularly in regard to funds.

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I was only allowed answer Deputy Paul Donnelly. I was not allowed refer to anybody else's questions. I can do so now if the House wishes.

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I am sorry. The national cultural institutions face big challenges. I had an engagement with the Council of National Cultural Institutions at which we discussed some of the challenges they are facing. I applaud all of them. Deputy Andrews mentioned some of them including the National Gallery, the National Library, the National Concert Hall, the Chester Beatty Library and Crawford Art...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Deputy Donnelly might already be aware of the roadmap which we put forward for the sector. We are guided by NPHET advice and the Cabinet has to make the decisions in that regard. Once we have Cabinet agreement on it, we hope the first phase will commence on Monday. The other phases will come through thereafter. The Deputy will be aware that we hope museums and galleries will reopen on 20...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I have no difficulty with answering some of the Deputies' heritage questions per se.

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: It will eat into everyone else's time. There is a two-hour slot scheduled specifically for heritage either next week or the following week, if Deputy Cahill wants a longer period. If the Ceann Comhairle wants I can answer these three Deputies now.

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I will get a note on it to the Deputy.

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I welcome this opportunity to update Deputies on the impact of Covid-19 on the arts and culture sector and my Department’s response. We have been confronted with a public health emergency and have sought to slow the spread of the virus and protect the health of our people, to do what is best and seek the common good. The public health measures have had an unprecedented impact on our...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The festivals are encouraged to do that. We have no difficulty with that at all. The Deputy mentioned a few festivals in Clare, such as Consairtín. That has been cancelled. Funding of €4,000 was provided to it. The Killaloe Chamber Music festival was granted funding of €16,000. The Ennis Book Club festival commenced. It received a grant of €27,000. Deputy...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputies. In response to Deputy Mattie McGrath, my Department provides significant support to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and will continue to do so. We support the sector but we also have to maintain our focus on protecting public health. Deputy Nolan mentioned the Birr theatre. There are already schemes within the Department and one would hope that they will...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Deputy Shanahan for his contribution. In case I did not mention it earlier in the Dáil, as the Deputy mentioned social welfare supports, there is a dedicated help desk in my Department for anybody to call. If anybody is listening in, I ask him or her to avail of it if there are concerns. On the stabilisation fund, the Deputy sort of alluded to the fact that he wants to...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I will start with Deputy Paul Murphy's questions. If I leave any answers out, he can remind me. The Deputy talked about income supports in general. From a reality check perspective, I mentioned earlier that 1.1 million people in the country are in receipt of social welfare benefits and 212,000 people are receiving €203 a week. At the end of April, there were 213,000 people on...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: As I outlined earlier, approximately 14,000 people within this sector are availing of the Covid-19 unemployment payment but it cannot continue indefinitely. That was never intended. Maintaining that payment would be divisive and create two different forms of unemployment payment. We do not think that is fair or sustainable in the long term. Ultimately, it will have to be reformed by the...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (14 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Project 2040 deals with infrastructure. Grants and schemes are available in the Department anyway. I hope they will be continued but we must remember that we are living in an environment where there is projected to be a deficit of €30 billion this year and €14 billion next year. We must have a bit of realism about what we are going to be able to achieve. I never make a...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Museum Projects (13 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I understand that the Mariner's Hall is a vacant commercial building on the west pier in Howth, which like other buildings on the west pier is owned by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I understand , the building has been recently restored by that Department and will be made available for rental in line with the Government procedures for the disposal of State Property. No...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (13 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: As the Deputy will be aware, each year the National Famine Commemoration provides an opportunity for the host community to honour the memory of those who perished or suffered loss during the famine. As I announced in February it was intended that this year's Commemoration would be held in Buncrana, Co. Donegal. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and the associated restrictions on...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (13 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The information sought by the Deputy in relation to expenditure on media publications in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020 from my Department's administrative budget is set out below. The hard-copy media publications to which these subscriptions apply include the Irish Independent, Sunday Independent, Irish Examiner, Sun (Irish edition), Irish Daily Star, Daily Mirror (Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Data (13 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: While I understand that the ICT Unit of my Department has implemented systems to track and monitor web usage, due to some issues being encountered with the systems in place, I am unfortunately unable to provide the details required. However, these issues are being addressed and all access continues to be logged and I should therefore be in a position to provide such information in the future.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Grant Payments (13 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Primary support for the Arts is delivered through the Arts Council. Funding for the Arts Council has increased in recent years and now stands at €80.5 million in 2020, and increase of some €5.5m or 7.3% over 2019. Although there is no funding for choirs available from my Department, the Arts Council funds Sing Ireland (formally known as the Association of Irish Choirs).The...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Wildlife Conservation (13 May 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The KerryLIFE project has reviewed the payment record for the person and can confirm all payments due to the person to date have been issued. Officials from my Department have conveyed this information to the applicant by phone and in writing.