Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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525. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the main policy achievements of his Department since 23 January 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38750/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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In the first six months of the year, there have been major funding initiatives vital to the growth and evolution of sectors within my Department’s responsibility.

My Department continues to support and promote all aspects of our culture and our sport, while developing a robust and trustworthy media sector and also ensuring that the vital communications networks that connect us are fit for purpose and future-proofed.

Some of the main achievements in the first half of this year which have helped support the Culture, Arts, Communications, Media, Broadcasting and Sport sectors are outlined below.

Culture and Arts

• €1.5m announced for the promotion of Irish culture overseas

• Review launched into governance and organisational culture of the Arts Council

• Grants announced for Small-Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools

• Plans announced for Shared Island Cultural Co-operation Fund

• Cruinniú na nÓg 2025 takes place with over 1,000 free creative activities for young people

• Research Report on Basic Income for the Arts published and six-month extension announced

• National Famine Commemoration took place in Kilmallock, Co. Limerick

• New local Creative Youth Partnership announced

• Enhanced tax credit for low-to-medium budget film productions introduced

• Launch of Ireland’s Representation at the 2025 Venice Biennale

• €500,000 in funding provided for music venues showcasing original grassroots performers

Communications

• In the wake of Storm Éowyn I met with representatives from the Telecommunications industry to discuss the impact of the storm on telecommunications infrastructure, the industry’s response, and their future plans to improve the networks’ resilience

• The National Broadband Plan marked the first connections to high-speed fibre broadband on Achill Island

• Implementation of SMS sender registry to help prevent SMS text scams in Ireland

Media and Broadcasting

• National Counter Disinformation Strategy published

• Government approval of the General Scheme of the Media Regulation Bill

• Government approval of the Revised General Scheme of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill

Sport

• Record investment of €27m in High Performance Sport for 2024

• Ireland’s first regular-season NFL game announced

• €4m funding for Women in Sport Programme

• Publication of new International Sports Diplomacy Framework for Ireland.