Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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452. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the projects her Department is prioritising in budget 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37097/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The total funding allocated to my Department in the Budget Estimates 2017 is €368.106 million. This provision allows for increases in funding across a range of arts and heritage bodies under my remit, as well as increases in a number of rural schemes.

Key initiatives for 2017 include:

- An additional €5 million for the Arts Council, an 8% increase in its annual budget;

- €2 million to allow for the opening of the newly restored historic wings at the National Gallery of Ireland and the opening of Killarney House on foot of significant capital investment by the State;

- An increase of €2 million for the Irish Film Board and €1 million for Culture Ireland;

- Boosts in funding for all of the National Cultural Institutions;

- An additional €1 million to assist the Heritage Council with its work;

- Funding of €5 million for implementation in 2017 of a legacy programme to the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme and reflecting the priorities in the draft framework policyÉire Ildánach/Culture 2025;

- A trebling in funding for the Town and Village Regeneration Scheme (€12m in total for 2017);

- An additional €8 million for National Rural Development Schemes, including €5 million for the recently re-opened CLÁR Programme; and

- €40 million for the delivery of the LEADER Rural Development Programme in 2017.