Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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576. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if core funding will be made available to a society (details supplied) in order to enable it to continue providing its unique offering in County Sligo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17220/19]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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William Butler Yeats is widely considered to be one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. In 1885, he saw his first publication, in the Dublin University Review, of his poetry. He helped to found the Abbey Theatre, and in his later years served as a Senator of the Irish Free State for two terms. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and, in December 1923 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

My Department has been approached by the society to which the Deputy refers and officials have met and are in ongoing discussions with the society to discuss possible funding avenues.

In relation to current funding strands available , my Department operates a Small Festivals and Summer Schools Scheme which is currently open for applications at

The maximum funding available under the Scheme is €5,000 and the closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 19th April.

The Scheme is designed to support local cultural festivals and summer schools which are not in receipt of other central Government monies and which may not be eligible under funding criteria for larger scale events supported by Fáilte Ireland, the Arts Council and similar bodies. The Society may have a specific event eligible under this scheme.

The Festivals Investment Scheme operated by the Arts Council is also currently open for applications for events that will take place between January and June 2020.  These applications close on Thursday 9th May and details may be found at

My Department also runs a scheme for improving exhibitions in local and regional museums which is currently open for applications at

. €150,000 has been allocated to this scheme for 2019.

Finally, under the Creative Ireland Programme, local authorities are receiving funding to support a series of initiatives over the course of 2019 that reflect the strategic priorities outlined in their own Cultural and Creativity Strategies and this could be another avenue open to the society to which the Deputy refers.