Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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43. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she continues to liaise with cultural and artistic groups in County Kildare and throughout the country at large with a view to encouraging interest in the arts, sports, Gaeltacht affairs and cultural activity, given the importance of these issues by way of recovery after Covid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23525/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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My Department's priorities are set out in its published Statement of Strategy 2021—2023. The overarching goal is to ensure the “sectors recover and grow in a manner that underpins social cohesion and supports strong, sustainable economic growth, with a focus on a number of cross cutting goals of equality, diversity, social inclusion, the Irish language and environmental sustainability”. The Strategy sets out the actions that my Department will take over the coming period, both nationally and regionally, to enrich the quality of life in Ireland through supporting the development of tourism, culture, arts, sports, media and Irish language. In addition to their immense inherent value, these are valued by all of our communities as important resources for social cohesion, individual and community wellbeing and for the presentation of Ireland as an attractive destination for tourism and sustainable inward investment.

In the context of culture, the goal is to “support and develop engagement with, and in arts, culture and creativity by individuals and communities thereby enriching lives through cultural activity; and to promote Ireland’s arts, culture and creativity globally while also coordinating the Decade of Centenaries 2012–2023 commemorations programme.

The Creative Ireland Programme is a culture-based initiative within my Department designed to promote individual, community and national wellbeing. Last year the local authority Culture and Creativity teams developed a new Culture and Creativity Strategy 2023-2027. Emphasis in Kildare will be placed on building creative responses to climate and biodiversity crises, increasing wellbeing, and enhancing and supporting the Kildare cultural and creative communities by providing a tailored series of programming, networking and mentoring opportunities.

Over €1 million has been allocated to Kildare County Council since 2018 through the Creative Ireland Programme. Programmes and events such as St. Brigid’s Day, Cruinniú na nÓg, Culture Night, Kildare Readers Festival, the Library Service annual programme and Play Day punctuate the cultural calendar, alongside a vibrant year-round festival programme. Initiatives such as the ‘Kildare Short Grass Films’ commission support creatives and highlight the county’s offerings.

My Department has been the primary funder of Cill Dara le Gaeilge since 2021. Cill Dara le Gaeilge is an Irish language organisation based in Sallins, Co Kildare that seeks to promote the use of the Irish language across the county by providing a range of opportunities for people to learn, use and engage with the language as well as by raising awareness and appreciation of the language and its cultural heritage.

The organisation is very active throughout County Kildare offering Irish language courses, workshops, talks and cultural events such as concerts, conversation circles and other social events to provide opportunities for people of all ages in the county to engage with the language at all levels.

The current 3 year grant agreement provides funding of €220,738 through the Scéimeanna Tacaíochta Gaeilge programme to the organisation to assist it in achieving its aims. The current 3 year agreement is due to expire at the end of 2024 and the Department is currently engaging with the organisation regarding support for the next 3 year period to enable it to continue with and expand on the work accomplished so far.

I recognise the importance of sport and physical activity for the health and well-being of our society and the need to ensure that opportunities are in place to allow all members of society to participate in sport. Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport and allocates its funding primarily through the National Governing Bodies of Sport and the Local Sports Partnerships around the country, including Kildare Local Sports Partnership.

Sport Ireland has allocated €311,000 to Kildare Local Sports Partnership for 2023.

Sport Ireland engages with sporting organisations on an ongoing basis and is continuing to support the sector in its recovery and development post-pandemic. Significant Government funding of over €162 million has been provided since 2020 in Covid-19 funding support to help sports organisations to recover and grow post-pandemic, to support our grassroots networks of clubs and local sports partnerships, and to ensure that people of all ages and abilities return to sport and physical activity.

As part of Budget 2023, €35 million was made available to help alleviate the impact of increased energy costs for sports clubs and organisations.