Results 5,281-5,300 of 7,556 for speaker:Catherine Martin

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (6 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: The overall spending allocations for my Department for 2021 will be announced as part of Budget Estimates 2021, which are due to be published on Tuesday, 13October. As budgetary negotiations are ongoing I am not in a position to comment in any detail on the expenditure that may be included in my Department's 2021 budget allocation.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Capital Programme (6 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: 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. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCP and to prioritise the investment in disadvantaged areas. The organisation referred to by the Deputy submitted an...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Contracts (6 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: I have been informed by officials in my Department that no third-party company has been engaged in social media monitoring and, therefore, no expenditure was incurred in relation to social media monitoring in each of the years 2017 to date in 2020.As outlined in a previous reply to Question No. 1113 if 16 June 2020, such work is carried out inhouse by the communications team in the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Data (6 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: Data supplied to my Department on the Human Resources reporting system is still aligned to the former Department of Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The information is supplied for that Department over the periods in question. It is expected that the Human Resources reporting system for the new Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media will be available later this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: I guarantee that I do not want to lose this sector either. I am very conscious of the emerging artists. For example, we ran a programme online with Hot Pressfor young and emerging artists earlier this year. I also guarantee that I have never undervalued music and the arts. That is the background I come from; it is what I studied. That is where all my friends and family are. I place an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 13 together. I am pleased to inform Deputies Boyd Barrett and Brendan Smith that earlier this month I launched a number of new music and performance schemes, totalling €6 million, to aid employment in the creative industries. The music stimulus package involves three funding schemes designed to help sustain the popular commercial music...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: Both Deputies will be aware that it is not possible to anticipate the budget. I am very familiar with the pre-budget submissions of the Events Industry Alliance and everyone involved in this sector. I acknowledge the Deputies' interest in these matters and I can assure them that I will be doing my best for the sector in the budget and subsequently. For information, the total funding for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: From my extensive engagement with the sector, I am conscious that the changes to the PUP and employment wage subsidy scheme affect the lives of thousands of artists and other workers across the arts, culture and live entertainment sectors in a devastating way. I understand these supports are needed now more than ever to support artists in their long-awaited return to work. I have raised...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: The Government published the Resilience and Recovery 2020 - 2021, the Plan for Living with COVID-19, on 15 September. This is a cross-Government approach to managing the pandemic for the coming months. This plan sets out how the balance between public health, economic and social aspects of living with Covid-19 will operate in the short to medium term. Most of the country is now at level...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: That is exactly where my focus remains because from my engagement with the stakeholders, as the Deputy stated, that is what they need. I realise the situation has deteriorated. I am also very conscious of the unprecedented nature of the challenges facing live performers, promoters and producers, not least from a financial point of view. I recently announced a new fund that will assist...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Swimming Pool Programme (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: Before the Minister of State answers it would be remiss of me not to comment on Carrickmacross. When I was in primary school, which was neither today nor yesterday, I used to buy raffle tickets in the hope that we would have a swimming pool in Carrickmacross by my time in secondary school. It was Dave Phelan who championed it when I was in my secondary school days. I will keep an eye on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ministerial Responsibilities (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: The tourism, arts, culture and sport are integral parts of the fabric of society, supporting economic activity and physical and societal well-being. The public facing and audience driven nature of those sectors means that each time there is an escalation for any county in the level applicable under the living with Covid plan those sectors will be hardest hit. The Government is acutely aware...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ministerial Responsibilities (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: I thank the Deputy. That is why I feel task forces are key to this. My engagement with people across my Department brief has shown me that they want to have a say. The arts task force, chaired by Claire Duignan, met for the first time last week and is due to report on 31 October which is obviously post budget. That is why in the first meeting I attended last week I asked it to give me its...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ministerial Responsibilities (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: I can assure the Deputy that my Department and I are engaging closely with the sectors and, in the context of the budget, we are very aware of the demands. Waiting for the task force report does not preclude us from taking immediate measures. For example, the live performance scheme involved an allocation of €5 million. My Department developed the conditions of the scheme in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Television Licence Fee (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: The programme for Government has expanded the remit of the public service broadcasting commission to become a future of media commission to consider the future of print, broadcast and online media on a platform-agnostic fashion. The programme for Government calls for a report within nine months on the measures that need to be taken to ensure there is a vibrant, independent public service...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Television Licence Fee (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: The future of the media commission also has consideration of the Irish language and media within its remit. I made sure to have someone on the commission who is fluent in Irish and works in the sector. I recognise the work TG4 has done in providing an important source of news, education and public service information during this time, maintaining and adapting its schedule to respond to its...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Television Licence Fee (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: I thank the Deputy. As I said, the licence fee will be discussed in the context of the commission. I do not want to interfere with the work of the commission. I am aware that evasion is currently estimated to be at 12.57% even though An Post makes every effort to bring the evaders into the licence pool with reminder notifications and inspections. There is also an increasing number of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: While absolutely necessary, the public health guidelines disproportionately impact the sectors supported by my Department, namely, tourism, culture, arts, Gaeltacht, sports and media. I have had extensive engagement with people representing those working in the tourism and hospitality sector and will continue to do so. As the Deputy said, at the beginning of the year tourism supported...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: That is why I have been engaging with them extensively. One of the first things I did as a Minister, on day two, was to meet with the sector. On the stay and spend initiative, that is exactly what I said in my answer: it needs to be reassessed. I take that on board. That is why I am saying that in this Chamber. It is because of the fast-paced nature of this horrifying pandemic and how it...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Maoiniú Chraoltóirí Seirbhíse Poiblí (1 Oct 2020)

Catherine Martin: Tá m’oifigigh i mbun idirchaidrimh le TG4 maidir leis an iarratas do mhaoiniú bhreise agus tá siad ag lorg tuilleadh faisnéise. Measfar an iarratas nuair a fhaightear an fhaisnéis sin. Beidh mé i mbun idirchaidrimh leis an Aire Caiteachais Phoiblí agus Athchóirithe maidir le riachtanais maoiniú mo Roinne don bhliain 2021 mar chuid den...