Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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154. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department will be providing details of the funding schemes that are available for local festivals and events; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46961/22]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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155. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department will be providing details of the funding schemes that are available for local festivals and events that will be funded by the Arts Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46962/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 155 together.

The Arts Council offers a wide range of financial supports across art forms and arts practices, including festivals. The Arts Council sees festivals as key producers and presenters of the arts and are critical to engaging large and diverse audiences. The Arts Council also provides financial support to a number of single art form festivals (e.g. theatre, dance, film) and such festivals are supported within the policy context of those art forms. The Council also supports many multidisciplinary arts festivals, meaning those festivals that programme across different art forms, including literature, music, street arts, theatre, visual arts and different areas of arts practice. Their Festivals Investment Scheme, for example, is specifically designed to offer support to local/voluntary organisations to develop arts festivals. The larger festivals regularly supported by the Council include the Wexford Festival Opera and the Galway Arts Festival. Further details can be accessed on the Arts Council’s website at the following link www.artscouncil.ie/Arts-in-Ireland/Festivals/

My Department run a Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Scheme. 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 maximum funding available under this scheme is capped at €5,000. Details of the 34 events that were supported under the Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools taking place around Ireland in 2022 can be found via this link www.gov.ie/en/press-release/247c6-minister-martin-announces-funding-for-small-scale-local-festivals-and-summer-schools/

The Department also provides funding to support Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ), which is the largest group involved in the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music both at community and national level. Annual funding is provided to CCÉ for its work in the protection and promotion of Irish traditional music and culture. Many of us welcomed the return of the Fleadh Cheoil that took place in Mullingar from 31 July to 7 August. As the greatest annual gathering under the auspices of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the Fleadh is principally organised at community level by the local branches in partnership with the local authority, media and other partners and sponsors.

The Creative Ireland Programme is a culture-based programme led by my Department to promote individual, community and national well-being. Its core proposition is that participation in arts, cultural and heritage-based activities drives personal and collective creativity, with significant implications for individual and societal well-being and achievement. Under the Creative Communities initiative in the Creative Ireland Programme, my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage provide funding to each of the 31 local authorities to enable them to implement their individual Culture and Creativity Strategies 2018-2022. These Strategies were developed in 2017 following extensive local public consultation and are unique to each local authority, reflecting the breadth of cultural and creative work being undertaken in each area as well as the strategic priorities identified by the local community. Within this context, many festivals and events have received support from their local authorities. Further information is available on www.creatieireland.gov.ie/en/creative-communities/

Fáilte Ireland supports local authorities in the development of tourism in their area including funding for capital investment, festivals and events. Festivals and participative events are also an important part of Irish tourism activities and in this context, Fáilte Ireland operate the Festival Innovation Programme Fund, which can be found at this link: www.failteireland.ie/Identify-Available-Funding/Festivals-Innovation-Programme.aspx

Festivals and events also play a significant part in attracting and holding visitors in particular areas of Ireland at different times of the year. Tourism Ireland works closely with many festivals to provide exposure for them in key markets overseas. The St Patrick’s Festival, Galway 2020, Cork Jazz Festival, and Wexford Festival Opera are just some examples of festivals which have received extensive coverage through Tourism Ireland’s marketing overseas. Tourism Ireland also work with Culture Ireland to bring the best of Ireland’s artists, writers, poets, musicians and dancers to the attention of enthusiasts and new audiences.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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156. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department will be providing details of the types of funding schemes that are available for local festivals and events funded by Fáilte Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46963/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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My Department's role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national tourism policy and implementation of that policy is a matter for the tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, as well as certain other bodies. With specific regard to funding schemes for local festivals and events, these are operational matters for Fáilte Ireland in line with its tourism development functions. I have referred this question to them for direct response to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.