Results 4,981-5,000 of 7,556 for speaker:Catherine Martin

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: I appointed an Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce in September to prepare a report including a set of recommendations on how best the arts and culture sector can adapt and recover from the challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Taskforce has now completed its deliberations and on Tuesday I brought it to the attention of Government colleagues and subsequently arranged for...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Covid-19 Pandemic (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: My Department provides significant funding to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ), which is the largest organisation involved in the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music and Irish dancing.  It has hundreds of branches in every Irish county including in small towns and villages.  My Department provides annual funding to CCÉ for its work in the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Tourism Funding (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: My Department’s tourism services budget is voted for use through the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. Accordingly, there is no specific allocation made by my Department directly to local authorities for the development of tourism projects. Fáilte Ireland supports local authorities in the development of tourism in...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: My Department is currently developing specific proposals and indicative plans for a co-ordinated, cross-governmental programme for the remainder of the Decade of Centenaries.  Next year's budget of €5 million is a significant increase of €3 million on this year's funding allocation.  It will support the development of a rich diversity of ongoing and new ...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: I know how valuable top level competition is and the central part that following your team plays in the lives of club supporters. We are fortunate that the league in question is dynamic and vibrant and I was very pleased with how the clubs adapted this year to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The operation of the league is a matter for the relevant National...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Future of Media Commission (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 72 together. Well-functioning media systems, and in particular public service broadcasting, deliver four important public services to Irish society; - To inform, educate and entertain the Irish public with regard to matters of Irish culture, identity, sport, language and other matters inherent to Ireland and the Irish people; - To ensure that the public...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland waived the levy for the independent radio sector in quarters 1 and 2 saving the sector €1m.  I secured €839,000 in Budget 2021 to recoup the BAI for the waiver. Additional supports were put in place from the Sound and Vision Scheme which is funded from the TV Licence fee.  There was a special Covid round for the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Capital Programme (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39, 41, 45, 55 and 66 together. The Sports Capital Programme (SCP)  is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 12,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: All grants issued by my Department to agencies or other bodies are subject to the provisions of Circular 13/2014 from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds, including provisions in relation to Service Level Agreements and on monitoring and reporting. While absolutely necessary to protect us...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Events (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: Major Sports Events have the potential to drive participation in sport, contribute to trade, tourism, business, community engagement and economic growth. Such events can also increase national pride and affect how we are viewed internationally. In recent years Ireland has won the bid to host Ryder Cup 2027, EURO 2020 and the Women’s Rugby World...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Radio Broadcasting (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: During 2020, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) held two closed rounds for radio, targeted at the independent commercial and  community radio sectors respectively. In June 2020, the BAI awarded €2.5m Sound and Vision funding to 32 independent commercial radio stations across the country supporting public awareness and understanding of COVID-19.  This...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Promotion (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: Earlier in the month I announced the recipients of a pilot Live Performance Support Scheme to assist commercial venues, producers and promoters to plan live performances across the country over the coming months, with a total of 59 organisations benefitting from the scheme. The main objective of the scheme is to provide employment opportunities in the live performance sector while also...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Television Licence Fee (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 51 together. An Post acts as my issuing agent for TV Licence fee collection under Section 145 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. The vast majority of people pay their TV licence fee.  The level of evasion has decreased from 15.3% at the end of 2013 to 12.57% at the end of 2019. Among the measures taken by An Post to reduce evasion have been changing TV...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Radio Broadcasting (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 67 and 69 together. I acknowledge the valuable source of reliable and trustworthy news that local radio offers in a time of uncertainty and with much disinformation in circulation. Local radio also plays an important role in bringing communities together, strengthening their bonds of solidarity and mutual support. I recognise the challenges faced by...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: On 2 November, I announced details of an €85 million funding package for the Irish sport sector, which has been significantly impacted by the various COVID-19 restrictions imposed since March 2020. The funding, which is being allocated by Sport Ireland, will address the existential threat to National Governing Bodies and their club networks, allowing sports organisations...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: I agree that it is vitally important that efforts continue to be made to promote and encourage increased sport and physical activity by young people for a whole variety of reasons, in particular and physical and mental well-being benefits. While the restrictions on sport have been difficult, there are some encouraging signs concerning participation levels among young people...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Events (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: Under the Government’s living with Covid-19 plan spectators are permitted to attend sporting events in limited numbers when the relevant area of the country is at Level 1 or at Level 2 of the measures in place to keep us all safe. As the country is currently at Level 5 no spectators are permitted at sports matches or events. However, professional and high performance sport and...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sport and Recreational Development (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: The Government's National Sports Policy 2018-2027 recognises that Ireland's older population is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades and the challenges and opportunities that such changes in demography present for participation in sport.  The National Sports Policy has set a target to increase adult participation in sport from 43% in 2017 to...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Promotion (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: Earlier in the month I announced the recipients of a pilot Live Performance Support Scheme to assist commercial venues, producers and promoters to plan live performances across the country over the coming months, with a total of 59 organisations benefitting from the scheme. The main objective of the scheme is to provide employment opportunities in the live performance sector while also...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Media Pluralism (19 Nov 2020)

Catherine Martin: The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, in recognition of the importance of a sustainable Irish media sector, expanded the remit of the Public Service Broadcasting Commission to become the Future of Media Commission, tasked with considering the future of print, broadcast, and online media in a platform agnostic fashion.  On 29 September 2020 the Government agreed the terms of...