Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

315. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the fact that funding from her Department, through an organisation (details supplied) is being used to fund a festival celebrating partition that involves re-enactments of the sectarian B-Specials in Coleraine; her further views on whether the provision of funds by a body established under the Good Friday Agreement should not be used to celebrate the role of the RUC B-Specials in perpetrating violence and human rights abuses against innocent civilians based on religion and identity since its inception; and the actions she plans to take as a result of same. [52091/21]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am informed that funding was neither sought from nor allocated by the Ulster-Scots Agency for a re-enactment described by the Deputy. As a result, the issue of the celebration of particular organisations mentioned by the Deputy does not arise.

I am further informed by the Agency that it awarded the sum of £2,359 to the Coleraine Festival Committee to support a two-day festival of Ulster-Scots language, heritage and culture, in accordance with the mandate of the Ulster-Scots Agency which relates to the promotion of greater awareness and use of Ullans and of Ulster-Scots cultural issues, both within Northern Ireland and throughout the island.

A living history display formed part of this festival but this element of the event has been funded from the Coleraine Festival Committee’s own resources.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Ulster-Scots Agency is an agency of the North South Language Body, one of six North South Implementation Bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement. The work of the Agency is funded jointly by the Northern Ireland Executive, through the Department for Communities, and the Government of Ireland, through the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.