Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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1102. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will be supporting the plans from the Arts Council for arts studios at a location (details supplied). [47466/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Arts Council submitted a Preliminary Business Case to my Department in Q4 2024 in relation to the project referred to in the question.  The Department is reviewing this business case in line with the Programme for Government and the Infrastructure Guidelines and in the context of Project Ireland 2040 and other capital demands.

My Department is aware of the pressures that artists and creatives can face in finding suitable workspaces, especially in Dublin and the difficulties in the provision of artistic venues there. That is why the Department has allocated €3 million in funding to a capital works programme in Dublin called Space to Create in 2023. This initiative is intended to provide 60 artists with turnkey workspaces as well as opportunities to use performance and gallery space and flexible office spaces.

My Department also launched a €6 million Artist Workspaces Scheme in June 2024 for areas outside Dublin. The scheme allocates funding to local authorities to enable them to provide additional capacity artist workspaces in their regions on a sustainable basis. Local authorities are invited to propose projects which can accommodate and address the demand for artist workspaces in their regions and produce workspaces that are fit for purpose, design focused and accessible. Each local authority can apply for up to €150,000 or €300,000 for Artist Workspaces under the scheme, with the higher rate available to the specified larger urban centres. Full details of this scheme including Guidelines and Application Form are available at the following link: .