Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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393. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the supports that have been provided to cultural institutions (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22044/21]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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394. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the additional supports that have been provided to cultural institutions (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22045/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 393 and 394 together.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I secured significant increases in the operational budgets of the National Cultural Institutions (NCIs) for COVID-19 related funding. The NCIs encompass our most iconic cultural venues including the National Gallery, the Irish Museum of Modern Art at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, the National Library, the National Museum (which includes the Museum of Country Life in Turlough Park in Castlebar Co Mayo), the Chester Beatty Library, the Crawford Art Gallery, the National Archives and the National Concert Hall. The following table shows additional funding given to the institutions in 2020. The funding for the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) incorporates additional funding for Turlough House in County Mayo which is an integral part of the NMI.

In addition, funding for the NCIs increased from €48.9m in 2020 to €60.2m in 2021; an increase of 23% in a single year.Funding was provided to these institution as supports and mitigation measures in response to Covid19.

Recent decades have seen the development of a nationwide infrastructure of arts centres, many of which were initiated and funded by local authorities and supported through capital schemes largely operated by my Department. Support provided to these arts centres by local authorities is critical to ensuring that a stable and vibrant network can be maintained. Capital funding schemes operated by my Department continue to be focused on enhancing this existing stock of arts and culture centres throughout the country. In response to COVID-19, my Department opened a further capital stream (Stream D) of funding specifically for capital adaptations or equipment necessary to assist arts and culture organisations in re-opening. Under this stream capital funding is provided to assist in the re-opening of theatres, arts centres and culture venues as part of Project Ireland 2040. Capital grants of up to €10,000 have been provided to arts and culture facilities including to allow them to re-open safely.To date 95 SLAs have been issued with grants totalling almost €670,000. Full details and application form are published on my Departments website at the following link :

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The National Cultural Institutions also received once off COVID support through B6 totalling €1.7m. A number annually funded bodies such as Archbishop Marsh’s Library, The Hunt Museum, etc. also got additional support of €1m in total. In addition, a new once-off scheme for audience re-engagement for regional, rural and specialised museums allocated a total of €363,150 to 33 projects. Details of expenditure can be viewed on the Departments websites as follows;