Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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210. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the supports available to an organisation (details supplied) in the north inner city to help it develop its cultural and artistic space; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45344/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The network of venues and arts centres established throughout the State receive ongoing annual funding from the Arts Council. Funding for the Arts Council has increased steadily since I became Minister and I was delighted to secure the record figure of €140 million for 2025.

My Department focuses on providing capital grants to arts and culture facilities. Much of the nationwide infrastructure of venues and arts centres used by the artistic communities and the professional arts were initiated and funded by local authorities. My Department provides grants as a contribution towards securing and enhancing existing arts and culture facilities rather than the development of major new centres.

At present, my Department has a capital funding scheme open for applications. Stream E of the Cultural Capital Scheme focuses on enhancing the existing stock of arts and culture centres throughout the country. In line with the Government's action plan on climate change, Stream E also welcomes projects that reduce an organisation's carbon footprint as well as projects that provide additional capacity for artistic production. Projects that address access and health and safety issues are also supported.

Stream E offers grants up to €50,000 to not-for-profit organisations with a defined arts and culture remit. Grants of up to €20,000 are available at 85% grant funding rate except for Local Authority owned facilities where the maximum grant is 60% of eligible costs. Grants of up to €50,000 are provided at a maximum grant funding rate of 70% (60% for Local Authority owned facilities). Full details of this Scheme including Application Form, Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions are available on my Department’s page of the website at the following link www.gov.ie/en/publication/46f4f-creative-arts-grants-and-funding/. Details of all cultural capital grant expenditure provided by my Department is available on the website showing the grantee and the annual amounts paid by county each year. This information is available at the following link www.gov.ie/en/publication/b1eab-creative-arts-grants-and-funding-previous-schemes/#cultural-development-expenditure.

Proposals for the development of local arts centres are a matter in the first instance for the local authority. County and city development plans are drawn up by local authorities in accordance with their functions under the Planning and Development Acts. This would include policy objectives for development in the county including the arts.