Written answers

Tuesday, 21 July 2020

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Departmental Budgets

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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265. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the breakdown of the way in which each budget line of her Department was allocated and spent in each of the past three years; and the 2020 estimate. [17417/20]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Details of all expenditure for my Department during 2017 and 2018 are contained in the Annual Appropriation Account, published by the Comptroller and Auditor General at . A breakdown of 2019 expenditure will be contained in my Department’s 2019 Appropriation Account which is due to be published by the Comptroller and Auditor General later this year. In the interim, details of total expenditure in respect of my Department and all Government Departments are published by the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Total gross voted expenditure for 2019 figures are available at .

Details of the Revised Estimates for my Department for 2019 and 2020 are published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at .

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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266. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the Department funding and capital that has been repurposed and redistributed within her Departmental vote; the funding she has identified which will be unspent in the various budget lines in 2020 due to works not being able to progress or the arts sector being shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she has requested the Minister for Finance for leave to redistribute same within her Department to help the arts sector recover from Covid-19. [17418/20]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Expenditure across all programme areas in my Department’s Vote continues to be reviewed in light of the Covid19 crisis. Many programme components are being re-imagined on foot of health and safety restrictions necessitated by the crisis, including for example Cruinniú na nÓg, Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture and Other Voices ‘Courage’. Total expenditure for my Department as at 30 June 2020 was at 99% of profile. While it is too early to accurately forecast the full end of year outturn, I can advise that no significant savings are envisaged at present. All expenditure within my Department's vote will continue to be carefully monitored between now and year end to ensure the best use of available financial resources.

Since the outset of the pandemic, officials from my Department have been in ongoing communication with officials in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the devastating and unprecedented impact of Covid19. This communication has centred around how best to stabilise sectors and ensure their viability going forward and included consideration of reallocation of resources as well as the need for additional resources. A further investment of €25 million in arts and culture during 2020 was announced in June of this year to address Covid19 challenges. The 2020 Further Revised Estimates for my Department passed by the Dáil on 9 July last reflect this additional funding.

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