Written answers
Tuesday, 25 February 2025
Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
Departmental Funding
Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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474. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if his Department offers funding outside of the capital grants scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7484/25]
Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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My Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF), formerly known as the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme, and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). My Department also administers a range of funding schemes in other sectors outside of the capital funding schemes for sport. Details of these funding schemes are set out in the table below.
| Non-Capital Scheme/Grant | Details |
|---|---|
| Basic Income for the Arts pilot research scheme | The Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) is a pilot research scheme which is examining the impact of a basic income style payment on artists and creative arts workers. 2,000 artists and creative arts workers have been receiving a weekly payment of €325 since October 2022. The cost of Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme is €35m for a full calendar year for 2,000 artists to participate. The Scheme is not currently open for applications. In order to support the research element, the scheme runs with the same participants for the duration of the three-year pilot. |
| Culture Ireland Regular Grant Rounds | Grant funding is available for Irish artists and organisations towards costs which relate directly to the international presentation of an event. |
| Culture Ireland Showcase Scheme | The Showcase Scheme supports Irish artists to participate at industry showcase events, facilitating artists to present their work to international delegates, including programmers and presenters. |
| Culture Ireland See Here Scheme | The See Here Scheme supports direct engagement by international promoters and programmers with Irish artists’ work in Ireland a view to securing future presentation opportunities abroad. |
| Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Funding Scheme | The Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools Scheme is designed to support small 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. Events which are funded by the Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland are not eligible. |
| Co-operation with Northern Ireland Scheme | The Co-operation with Northern Ireland Scheme provides funding support for small self-contained projects which seek to enhance, celebrate or commemorate the arts, culture, music, film or heritage of the Island of Ireland on a North/South basis. The 2025 scheme was launched on 13 February 2025 and the deadline for receipt of applications is 21 March 2025. |
| Mobility of Collections Scheme | The Mobility of Collections Scheme offers funding support to provide greater regional and local access to material held in the National Collections. The Scheme is designed to fund the transport, cost of insurance and exhibiting costs for pieces from the National Collections to appropriate institutions around the country. The 2025 scheme is due to launch by the end of February. |
| Live Music Performances in Residential Healthcare Settings Scheme 2025 | The Department is providing €150,000 in grant funding in 2025 to Local Authorities to deliver Live Music Performances in Residential Healthcare Settings in their communities. |
| Creative Health and Wellbeing in the Community Scheme 2025 | The Department is providing €756,000 in grant funding to 11 projects being delivered through 18 Local Authorities who are leading on Creative Health and Wellbeing initiatives across the island of Ireland. This is year two of the scheme which was initiated in 2024. |
| Creative Climate Action Fund II: Agents of Change | Under the Creative Climate Action Fund II, the Department has provided €5.1 million in grant funding to support 39 projects between 2023 and 2025, in collaboration with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. |
| Creative Youth Nurture Fund 2023-2025 | The Creative Youth Nurture Fund is a pilot scheme to support youth-led creative engagement, for projects specifically targeting seldom heard cohorts of children and young people. In 2023, 9 projects were awarded €727,234 in total grant funding to deliver until 2025. |
| Local Creative Youth Partnerships | In partnership with the Department of Education and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Department supports 7 Local Creative Youth Partnerships (LCYPs) based in Education and Training Boards (ETBs). They deliver creative programmes for young people in their communities, prioritising those that are seldom heard or at risk of disadvantage. |
| Cruinniú na nÓg | Cruinniú na nÓg is a key action in the Creative Youth Plan, which is delivered through the network of Local Authority Culture and Creativity Teams in each of the 31 Local Authorities. It is a national day of free creativity for children and young people up to the age of 18. An annual allocation is made available to each local authority to deliver an annual programme of events and initiatives during Cruinniú na nÓg representing an investment of €1.1 million. An additional €150,000 is provided to a Strategic Partner to complement local programming. |
| Creative Communities | Creative Communities supports the partnership between this Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Ireland’s local authorities to deliver Culture and Creativity Strategies (2023-2027). In 2025 an investment of €3.8 million will continue to embed creativity in public policy delivering on national and local government policies and deliver on the Creative Ireland commitment to provide everyone in Ireland the opportunity to realise their full creative potential. |
| Digital Creative Industries Roadmap | €365,000 in core funding has been allocated in 2025 to build the representative capacity of the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) and Eimersive to participate in the Government/Industry Digital Creative Industries Forum as part of the implementation of the Digital Creative Industries Roadmap |
| Creative Ireland Fulbright Professional Scholarship | The Department is funding €100,000 in grant funding to the Fulbright Commission Ireland to fund an annual ‘Creative Ireland Fulbright Professional Scholarship’. The 4 year grant agreement was put in place in June 2024 and runs to December 2027. |
| Panikos Limited | The Department is funding €30,000 in grant funding to Panikos Limited to fund curate a book on the subject of creativity which will be a core element of Ireland’s presence at Expo 2025 in Japan. |
| Language Planning | While implementation of and funding for the language process is assigned to Údarás na Gaeltachta within the Gaeltacht and Foras na Gaeilge outside the Gaeltacht, funding is also provided to support the process directly by the Department via nominated organisations in the areas of family, early-years and the language-based arts. |
| Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge (Irish Language Learners Scheme) | The Department provides a subsidy under Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge / Irish Language Learners’ Scheme (SFG) to support language acquisition opportunities outside of the education system, in the Gaeltacht. This benefits over 27,000 (in 2024) learners per year who stay in any of the c.520 Gaeltacht households approved under the scheme. The subsidy paid to households for Irish Summer colleges is currently €13 per night. The Department also funds the following schemes under the umbrella of Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge - |
| Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga (The Language Assistants Scheme) | The objective of Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga is to support intergenerational transmission of the Irish language and also to support and strengthen the language as a language of communication among families and within communities in accordance with the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030. A three-year contract for administration of the scheme for the school years 2022-2025 has been agreed with Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne and Muintearas for the total sum of €4,089,996. |
| Clár Aclaíocht | This programme provides exercise classes for schools in the Galway Gaeltacht. The aim of the service is to cultivate and develop sporting skills as well as to promote and nurture the Irish language among young people. Currently, 17 primary schools and one special school are catered for. A three-year contract for the school years 2022-2025 has been agreed with Muintearas for the sum of €239,948 to administer the programme. |
| Clár na gCluichí Gaelacha | The aim of this programme is to nurture and promote the language as well as to cultivate and develop sports skills among school going children. A three-year contract for the school years 2022-2025 has been agreed with Comhairle Chonnacht, Comhairle na Mumhan, and Comhairle Uladh (2023-2026) for the total sum of €614,625 to administer the programme. |
| Campaí Samhraidh (The Summer Camps Scheme) | Scéim na gCampaí Samhraidh, administered by Muintearas under the auspices of Údarás na Gaeltachta on behalf of the Department, provides Gaeltacht enrichment and language acquisition opportunities for young people in the out-of-school environment and mainly during the summer months. A grant of up to €330,000 per annum is allocated to this scheme. |
| Deontas Reachtála (Administration grant) | Funding has been approved for Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne to oversee a number of projects on behalf of the Department to promote and nurture the Irish culture and language. A three-year contract covering the years 2024-2027 has been agreed with Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne for the sum of €957,795. Oideas Gael Teo provides courses for adult Irish language learners, enabling them to learn enjoyably and efficiently in Donegal. A three-year contract covering the calendar years 2023-2025 has been agreed with Oideas Gael for the sum of €255,000. Coláiste UISCE in Co. Mayo is a unique activity-based Irish Language College and Adventure Centre situated in the heart of one of Mayo’s Gaeltachtaí. Approximately 3,800 students enrol with Coláiste Uisce per annum. A three year contract from 2023-2025 has been agreed with Coláiste Uisce for the sum of €300,000. Funding has been approved for a 3-year pilot project between Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Boards in partnership with Coláiste Pobail Acla. The project is about promoting Irish in 5 Gaeltacht Post-Primary Schools in Co Mayo by providing transition year students with recognised qualifications (QQI) courses (through Irish to enhance their Irish language proficiency) and providing them with immersive Irish language tours. A three-year contract for the school years 2024-2027 has been agreed with the above for the sum of €108,075 to administer the programme. |
| 3rd Level Funding | Ollscoil na Gaillimhe was established under the auspices of NUI Galway to support the sustainable development of courses through Irish, research activity and other services. Funding was approved for Ollscoil na Gaillimhe to enable them to continue to provide a range of courses through the medium of Irish in their three Gaeltacht centres in Gaoth Dobhair, Carna and An Cheathrú Rua. A three-year contract covering the academic years 2021-2024 was agreed with Ollscoil na Gaillimhe for the sum of €3,000,000. Negotiations are ongoing for a further three-year contract. |
| Boarding School | Funding has been agreed with two boarding schools to help the college pay for resident students. The total grant is approximately €45,000 per annum between two boarding schools. |
| Scéimeanna Tacaíochta Gaeilge/Irish Language Support Schemes | A current provision of €10.7m has been made available under the Irish Language Support Schemes, for 2026. The aim of this scheme is to develop and promote the Irish language outside of the Gaeltacht. Funding is provided for projects of strategic importance to the implementation of the Language Act and the Digital Plan for Irish |
| Supports for Irish language broadcasting in Northern Ireland | Funding of €1.2m per annum is provided to support Irish language broadcasting in Northern Ireland. This includes an annual contribution of €1m to the Irish Language Broadcasting Fund administered by Northern Ireland Screen and 100k per annum to both RTÉ and TG4 for the promotion of the Irish language in Northern Ireland. |
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