Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

51. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will address concerns around the disparity in funding for 1916 Centenary events in rural and urban Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43485/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme is a national programme and funding is being provided to all counties to support a range of initiatives and events. I am very pleased to have secured funding of more than €48m for next year’s centenary commemorations. Approximately €30m of this will be allocated to major capital projects. Some of this investment is being concentrated on works at sites which are closely associated with the Easter Rising, such as the major new visitor centre at the GPO and the proposed commemorative centre at the National Monument in Moore Street.

The Government has also provided significant capital investment for a new cultural and visitor centre at Pearse’s Cottage in Ros Muc, Co. Galway, and for the refurbishment of the Atheneum in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. These locations also have strong resonances with the Rising.

My Department provided €1m this year to assist local authorities in preparing for their own local commemorative programmes and I recently announced a further funding package of €3m for all local authorities in 2016 in conjunction with the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government and IPB Insurance. This will be distributed equally across each local authority and will allow communities to fully engage with next year’s centenary.

My Department is also supporting a range of State Ceremonial events across Dublin and in a number of regions across the country, including significant ceremonial events in Enniscorthy, Ashbourne, Athenry, Cork and Kerry. The Defence Forces are also working closely with local authorities on other ceremonial events taking place next year.

With funding also being provided to support a range of events across the 7 strands of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme, I am satisfied that all citizens will be able to participate in this major commemoration next year.