Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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647. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason the heritage in school scheme has closed for further bookings; the steps being taken to resolve the matter; the reason an insufficient level of funding has been awarded to ensure the scheme can operate; the number of applications received, granted and refused respectively, for the scheme in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23165/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 647 and 653 together.

The Heritage Council, which is funded by my Department, is independent in the performance of its functions. It is a matter for the Heritage Council to decide how its funding is allocated across the range of research, education and conservation programmes it supports.

In 2018, I allocated funding of €6.377M to the Heritage Council as part of the annual Estimates process. This represents an increase of €123,000 on the 2017 allocation, which, in turn, had been increased by over €1 million on the 2016 allocation.

The Heritage in Schools Programme is very popular and successful in raising awareness and appreciation of our national heritage.

The numbers of applications for Heritage in Schools 2018 are as follows:

More detailed information on this Programme and the Heritage Council’s other activities is available on its website www.heritagecouncil.ieor by contacting the Council directly.