Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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244. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps she is taking to increase the access for disabled persons to the arts; the amount of funding she has allocated to these programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43393/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the Arts Act 2003, primary responsibility for the promotion and support of the arts, including arts participation, throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council.

The strategic context for the Arts Council’s support of arts participation and all other art forms and areas of arts practice is set out in Making Great Art Work: Arts Council Strategy (2016 –2025).  This strategy describes how the Council will lead the development of the arts in Ireland over the next decade.  This strategy has five priority areas: the artist; public engagement; investment strategy; spatial and demographic planning; and developing capacity.

The Arts Council funds a number of key organisations and agencies that have a central role in supporting these strands of work, including Create; Arts & Disability Ireland; Age & Opportunity and Waterford Healing Arts Trust.

I understand the Arts Council’s arts and disability policy is due to be reviewed and updated in the context of the council's new ten year strategy.

National Cultural Institutions also respond through their programmes to develop wider access including for people with disabilities. In this context it should be noted that my Department has also been engaged with the National Council for the Blind of Ireland to consider the needs of the visually impaired. My Department will continue to work with the Council of National Cultural Institutions to encourage the development of access to all audiences.

My Department is also represented on the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group, and under the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017 – 2020, is committed to ensuring that accessibility for all is supported through;

- the application of universal design principles in the development of buildings and facilities, and

- integrating disability inclusion into the design and operation of funding programmes and schemes.

My Department provides significant capital support for cultural facilities nationwide. So far this year I have announced details of €10.078 million in capital funding to a total of 122 arts organisations under the Arts and Culture Capital Scheme 2016-2018.  This scheme is the most significant investment in arts and cultural centres in a decade and will target investment at a range of different facilities, including works undertaken to improve disability access to venues.

Details of the projects supported are available on my Department's website at www.chg.gov.ie.