Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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83. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding that has been provided to arts and culture centres in County Carlow; the capital investment that will be available in the coming years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2519/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Funding is available under the National Development Plan for culture and creativity investment programmes.  These are closely aligned with the Creative Ireland Programme and include a range of investments in regional arts and culture facilities.

Recent decades have seen the development of a nationwide infrastructure of venues and arts centres, many of which were initiated and funded by local authorities. These centres are also supported through capital schemes operated by my Department. Current funding provided to these arts centres by local authorities and the Arts Council is critical to ensuring that a stable and vibrant network can be maintained.

The Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022 is a €4.7m capital investment scheme for arts and culture centres administered by my Department to enhance the existing stock of arts and culture centres throughout the country.

In response to the pandemic, my Department opened stream D of the Cultural Capital Scheme 2019-2022 in July 2020 to not-for-profit arts and culture organisations.  Funding is available for capital adaptations and equipment to assist arts and culture organisations to reopen safely.

Capital funding for the Outdoor Public Space Scheme is provided to local authorities to adapt, equip or otherwise improve public spaces for cultural and events activities, taking account of public health guidelines and of the needs of the local arts community. 

Under the Commercial Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme, a total of 88 grants of up to €25,000 each have been awarded to venues, performance facilities and private sector classes throughout the country for Covid adaptation improvements, including ventilation.

The funding that has been provided to arts and culture centres in Carlow includes the following projects.  I awarded €250,000 to Carlow County Council to provide an Outdoor Public Space at the Carlow Exchange in Carlow town.   As construction progresses, the investment funds will be paid by my Department to the local authority.   Carlow Arts Centre - Visual received €4,100 last year, €10,000 in 2016 and €20,000 under the Regional Museum Exhibition Scheme and the Small Capital Grants Scheme respectively. 

The Eigse Carlow Arts Festival was paid €13,228 under the Arts & Culture Capital Scheme in 2017.  The United Fall CLG was paid €10,000 under Stream D of the Cultural Capital Scheme to enable it to re-open safely during the pandemic.  Last month, Flexhaven Ltd, trading as the Dinn Rí Hotel, Carlow was paid €25,000 under the Commercial Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme.