Written answers

Thursday, 21 February 2019

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Creative Ireland Programme

Photo of Willie PenroseWillie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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43. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the levels of Creative Ireland funding that is designated for supporting DEIS schools in 2017, 2018 and to date in 2019, in tabular form, by county; and the amount each DEIS school is receiving. [8692/19]

Photo of Josepha MadiganJosepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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My Department does not fund DEIS schools directly.  I can confirm however that a number of DEIS Schools have received funding under Creative Ireland's Creative Youth programme.

The Creative Schools pilot project is a flagship initiative of Creative Youth which is being led by the Arts Council and funded primarily by my Department and the Department of Education and Skills.  Creative Schools aims to understand, develop and celebrate the arts and creativity, as a core aspect of school life, and to foster children and young people’s creativity and participation in the arts as an integral part of their education in Ireland.

Creative Schools was launched in 2018 with funding of €1m provided for its successful roll-out.  A total of 150 schools all across the country are now taking part. Of these, 41 are DEIS schools (33 primary and 8 post-primary), seven are special schools and four are Youthreach schools.  47 Creative Associates have been appointed to work with schools. All have been trained to enable the voice of the child throughout the Programme. Each school receives a grant of €2,000 to assist in the development of their creative plans and also receives the assistance of a Creative Associate.  A list of all participating schools including the DEIS schools is available on the Arts Council website.  However, I will arrange for a separate list of the 41 DEIS schools taking part in the initiative to be provided to the Deputy.

In partnership with the Minister of Education and Skills, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Arts Council,  I recently announced a joint funding package of over €6m for the implementation of a range of initiatives under Creative Youth which will have a positive impact on DEIS schools and indeed other schools right across the country. Almost €2.4m has been allocated to Creative Schools which will allow us to double the number of creative schools from 150 to 300 (which includes maintaining the current 150 for a further year).  As in 2018, this process is open to all schools including DEIS schools to apply for and registration for new applicants is now open with applications accepted online until 21st March 2019.  All information in relation to this Scheme is available on the Arts Council website and I would urge all schools to consider applying.

The Creative Youth Plan is ambitious and ever developing, and I hope that by 2022 it will have touched the lives of every child and young person in Ireland.

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