Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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365. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding spent on Fís Éireann every year since 2003; and a breakdown by current and capital spending. [24579/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The annual Appropriation Account and Revised Estimates for Public Services for my Department's Vote provides detailed information regarding expenditure and receipts including expenditure on the Arts and Culture programme as set out in the table below. The annual publications provide information on expenditure and multi-annual capital commitments is set out in the Department's Appropriation Accounts (Vote 33) for the relevant years which are published by the Comptroller and Auditor General and are available at: www.audit.gov.ie/en/publications/.

The Revised Estimates Volume for the Public Service (also called ‘the REV’) is published in mid-December every year. It provides more detail on the allocations that were announced in the Budget. The REV also summarises the forecasted spending that has taken place throughout the current year. The previous REVs can be accessed at this link www.gov.ie/en/collection/e20037-revised-estimates/#2022

My Department in its current configuration was established in September 2020 and a table listing current and capital finding in respect of Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland for that period is set out hereunder. It would not be feasible to provide the broad sweep of information requested by the Deputy in the context of a Parliamentary Question. However, if the Deputy has a particular question in relation to a specific body or issue, I would be glad to seek to provide the relevant information.

Table 1 Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland Funding 2020-2023

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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366. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the estimated cost of increasing the annual expenditure on Fís Éireann by 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%. [24580/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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As Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, I allocate funding to Screen Ireland, the development agency for the Irish film, television and animation industry.

The 2023 allocation to Screen Ireland is €37.946m. 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% of that amount is €1,897,300, €3,794,600, €5,691,900, €7,589,200. and €9,486,500 respectively.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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367. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding spent on Sound and Vision funding through the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland in every year since the funding was established; and a breakdown by current and capital spending. [24581/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Broadcasting Act 2009 made provision for the establishment of the Broadcasting Fund, to be managed and controlled by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, now Coimisiún na Meán, and funded primarily from 7% of net TV licence fee receipts.

The Act also provided for the establishment of schemes, the objectives of which include the development programmes based on Irish culture, heritage and experience, programmes in the Irish language, programmes which represent the diversity of Irish culture and heritage, or to support an integrated approach to the archiving of programme material within the broadcasting sector.

At present the Fund supports two schemes, the Sound and Vision Scheme and the Archiving Scheme. Sound and Vision enables increased availability of high quality television and radio programmes for Irish audiences, while the Archiving Scheme supports the development of an archiving culture and contributes to the preservation of Ireland’s broadcasting heritage.

The Broadcasting Act 2009, also provides that the Minister may allocate additional Exchequer funding to the Fund. 2020 was the first year that additional Exchequer funding was allocated, which I provided in recognition of the impact of COVID-19 on the sector. Since then increased Exchequer investment has enabled funding rounds targeted at programmes on Climate Change and Climate Action, Irish language programmes, the live music sector, and dedicated funding for the independent radio sector.

Since 2010, approximately €211m has been allocated by the Broadcasting Funding Scheme. 96% of funds have supported Sound and Vision, with the balances administered through the Archiving Scheme. The table below details both TV licence receipts and exchequer funding paid to the Fund since 2010.

It should be noted that due to the timing of individual funding rounds, and the staging of payments to successful applicants under either Scheme, there will be differences in the funding allocated to the Broadcasting Fund and the amount that is dispersed to grantees in any given year.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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368. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding spent by her Department on Traveller culture, heritage and identity annually in 2022 and 2023; and a breakdown by current and capital spending. [24583/23]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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369. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding spent by her Department on Roma culture, heritage and identity annually in 2022 and 2023; and a breakdown by current and capital spending. [24584/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 368 and 369 together.

The Traveller and Roma Communities have a rich culture, with unique traditions and crafts which are an integral part of the heritage of this Island. My Department is represented on the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) Committee, which is chaired by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEIDY) and provide regular updates to the committee.

I can advise that there is no Capital expenditure programme under my Department’s remit, for the purpose outlined by the Deputy. However, under my Department’s Creative Ireland current expenditure programme, I can advise that the estimated total current expenditure from the Creative Ireland Programme on Traveller and Roma culture and heritage in 2022 was €249,940. This included:

-A new pilot initiative - Traveller Wellbeing through Creativity - commenced in 2022 supported by my Department in partnership with the Department of Health, the HSE National Social Inclusion Office, and the Arts Council. Funding of €140,712 was allocated to the successful projects by my Department.

-In 2022, Creative Ireland Programme funding was also utilised in support of Traveller and Roma culture and heritage by local authorities (under the Creative Communities initiative) in the amount of €91,000 to support 23 projects.

-Funding by my Department in 2022 for the Local Creative Youth Partnerships included €18,228 for projects specifically engaging children and young people from the Traveller and Roma Communities.

-In relation to 2023, my Department has continued the Traveller Wellbeing through Creativity pilot and has allocated an additional €102,900 to the successful projects. Additional funding is being provided from other partners. Five Traveller-led creative projects are being supported that will have a positive impact on the health and well-being of the Traveller community.

-Further projects will be supported through Creative Communities and the Local Creative Youth Partnerships in 2023.

This year, my Department will provide funding for a new pilot Creative Youth Nurture Fund to support partners that can reach specific priority cohorts of children and young people to develop and engage in youth-led creative projects. Children and young people from the Traveller and Roma Community are one of the target cohorts.

In addition to the Creative Ireland Programme, the Basic Income for the Arts Pilot research scheme includes 14 people who identified as Traveller or Roma when applying, who are now receiving the BIA payment.

In addition, my Department has also provided funding of €26,800 to support the Irish Travellers/Mincéirs and the State, 1922-2022 Conference, which took place in September 2022. The 2 day conference was organised and led by NUIG with support from my Department as part of the Decade of Centenaries Programme (2012-2023).

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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370. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding spent on the Decade of Centenaries annually in 2022 and 2023; the breakdown by current and capital spending; and an outline of her plans to continue the State programme of commemorations following the completion of the Decade of Centenaries. [24589/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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As the Deputy will be aware, my Department leads on co-ordination of the cross-Governmental Decade of Centenaries Programme 2012-2023.

In common with all Government Departments, details of annual expenditure are included in the Appropriation Accounts. In 2022, the total expenditure by my Department under the centenaries programme was €6,675,841.42 comprised of €4,962,991.42 (current) and €1,712,850.00 (capital). Other State partners have also delivered initiatives and events under the Programme and will have incurred expenditure in this regard e.g. the Departments of the Taoiseach, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Justice and others.

For 2023, I have allocated €5m in current funding and €3.2m in capital funding to support the Programme. The experience of the Department over the life of the Programme to date, is that the drawdown of the majority of these allocations typically occurs in the final quarter of the relevant year.

The Government's approach to commemorations continues to be underpinned by the guidance of the Expert Advisory Group on Centenary Commemorations (EAG) and consultation with the All-Party Consultation Group on Commemorations.

I am currently scheduling a June meeting of the All-Party Group of which the Deputy is a member and planning for commemorations for the period post Decade of Centenaries Programme will be discussed further at that meeting.

Following consultation with a number of other stakeholders and our Programme partners, it is my intention to bring proposals to Government later in the year that set out an approach to be taken to commemorations following the completion of the Decade of Centenaries Programme.