Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

215. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding increasing funding for her Department; the position in relation to achieving 2024 targets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5799/19]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

216. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the pathway to the doubling of arts funding by 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5800/19]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together.

Our culture, heritage and language play a hugely positive role in our lives enhancing our physical and mental well-being and nourishing our national psyche. The Government recognises the importance of culture, heritage and the Irish language. That is why the Taoiseach has committed to doubling the spend on arts and culture by 2025.

Budget 2019 was an important milestone on this journey. The gross funding package of €339 million for 2019 for developing culture, heritage and the Irish language is an increase of €36 million, or 12%, on that of last year.

Last year the Government launched Project Ireland 2040 to ensure delivery of significantly improved social, economic and cultural infrastructure. Project Ireland 2040 gave explicit recognition to the importance of our culture, language and heritage to our sustainable development over the next decade and beyond. This recognition is underpinned by the unprecedented commitment by Government to invest €1.2 billion in our culture, our language and our heritage over the 10-year implementation of the NDP.

My Department's part in this is the €1.2 billion plan for investing in our culture, language and heritage. The level of investment proposed under this plan will transform our cultural, heritage and language infrastructure across the country. This year, we will see a very significant increase in capital spending by my Department, which will rise by €19.5 million to €74 million. This will allow for the very important planning and early-stage implementation phases of a number of Project Ireland 2040 culture, heritage and language projects.

In April last year, I was delighted to launch my Department's sectoral Plan - Investing in Our Culture, Language and Heritage 2018 – 2027. The plan sets out significant investment on a phased basis over the next 10 years prioritised across 3 areas - €785m for Culture; €295m for Heritage and €178m for our Language. This level of investment will transform our cultural and heritage infrastructure right across the country and goes a long way towards honouring the commitment to double government spending on arts, culture and heritage.

The 2019 allocation for capital under this plan is some €74 million, an increase of €19.5 million or 36% on my Department’s 2018 capital allocation. This unprecedented increase includes €6 million in respect of Galway 2020 European City of Culture, an additional €2 million for Screen Ireland, over €1.5 million extra for Cultural Infrastructure & Development, €5 million extra for the Heritage programme and an additional €2 million for Údarás na Gaeltachta.

In terms of current funding, allocations fall to be determined annually as part of the Estimates process. In 2019, total current funding for my Department increased by €16.5m or just under 7% to €265.159 million, including an additional €6m for the Arts Council; an additional €2m across all of the National Cultural Institutions; an extra €2m in additional funding for the Heritage programme and an extra €3m for the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and Islands.

In broad terms, of the total allocation of €339 million for 2019, almost €189 million is for culture, which is an increase of 13%. Of that €189 million, including €40 million in respect of capital, has been allocated to culture.

The transformation and renewal of our national cultural institutions is already under way. I note that work has commenced on the National Library's refurbishment and the National Archives will begin moving files off-site shortly in advance of starting its redevelopment work. Many other cultural institutions are at an advanced stage with their proposals, including the National Concert Hall, the Abbey Theatre and the National Museum of Ireland. Our capital investment programme under the national development plan envisages expenditure of €460 million over the decade of the plan. In addition to this, in 2019 our national cultural institutions collectively will receive an increase of more than €2 million in current funding.

We also will be providing the funding for the essential preparatory work for Galway 2020. This increase in funding also provides for increases to key institutions and agencies that deliver arts, creativity and culture across the country and to further develop the core programme areas to increase citizen engagement with creativity.

The Arts Council, for example, will receive an additional €6.8 million in 2019 to enhance its support for artists and arts organisations. This allocation is more than double the 2018 increase and brings Government support for this very important body to €75 million. The Government and I welcome the very positive reaction of the Irish arts community to this news.

The cumulative impact of these funding increases is further testament to the commitment to double Government spending in the arts, culture and heritage sector. My Department and I will continue to work rigorously with an Taoiseach and all of my Government colleagues towards delivering on the commitment to increase Government spending in the arts and culture sector on a trajectory that will see funding doubled.