Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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233. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount provided by her Department in 2023 which went towards supporting the art of dance; and the amount of money provided by her Department in 2023 which went towards supporting Irish dancing specifically. [38528/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Under the Arts Act 2003, the Arts Council has primary responsibility for the development of the arts in Ireland. The Arts Council's commitment to the arts is provided for in its 10-years investment Strategy - Making Great Art Work. In Ireland, dance, including traditional dance, is supported by the Arts Council.

In Budget 2023, I provided a record €130m funding for the Arts Council in recognition of the transformational impact of this funding and to support the sector. I increased funding to the Council to €134.278m in 2024.

Dance is an integral component of the Irish cultural landscape. In addition to a broad base of talented professional artists, the dance sector also promotes participative dance practice. A growing number of people of all ages and social status attend dance activities including Irish dancing across the country, from urban centres to rural communities, making dance one of the most widely practiced artforms in Ireland.

The Arts Council supports dance across a number of genres including the traditional arts through grant programmes and awards, and invests in future developments through special initiatives devised in partnership with others. Promoting a diverse and sustainable dance practice, building on the positive elements of the existing infrastructure, is a strategic priority of the Arts Council.

In March of this year, the Arts Council announced the creation of a new all-island dance company, marking a transformative and significant moment for Ireland's dance community. The Arts Council made an initial investment of €2m in 2024 to support the establishment of the dance company.

The Council also has a Dance policy - Advancing Dance 2022-2025. This policy will increase the capacity of the dance sector in Ireland through action and investment. Implementation of this policy will lead to expanded opportunities for audiences and artists across Ireland to engage with dance while extending our reach internationally. The vision underpinning the policy is for an Ireland where dance is recognised as an integral part of our cultural life.

In addition, Culture Ireland operates within my Department to support Irish artists in presenting and promoting their work to audiences around the world. In that context, Culture Ireland provides support to Irish professional dancers and dance companies for the international presentation of their work. In 2023, 23 grants with a total value of €421,200 were offered to support Irish professional dance activity in 17 countries. While aggregate data on dance form is not maintained, allocations reflect applications received and the exclusive focus on support for professional artists.