Patrick O'Donovan
Limerick County · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I agree with the Deputy. If anyone who has experienced any difficulties and has contacted the Deputy, I encourage him to pass any specifics on to me. We want to try to make it work.”
“To go back to a previous question, Coimisiún na Meán is self-financed in terms of the regulation. Regulation costs money and that is why levies are imposed. People do not like that, and the previous Deputy said she did not like it. That is a separate issue, however.”
“Failure by a platform to comply can also lead to significant sanctions. However, the developing nature of digital services requires continuing vigilance. The protection of children and young people in the online world remains of the utmost importance to the Government.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht an ábhair tábhachtaigh seo a chur os comhair na Dála ar maidin. Ireland's online safety framework includes the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, the EU Digital Services Act and the online safety code.”
“I do not disagree with the Deputy at all. He gave a good synopsis there as to why the investment in rural broadband is so important. I do not know whether any political party bar my own at the time actually advocated for it, but it has been transformative.”
“It is expected shortly. As I said in my reply, I will bring the report to the Government and then publish it. I do not disagree with anything the Deputy has said. Restitution cannot be a one-way street. We need to see if there is anything in Irish institutions that is connected to, funded by or associated with colonial plundering.”
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“The Deputy is right. It is 2025. We should not have a situation where in some of our national cultural institutions, people with disabilities cannot go in the front door. That is the reality because of delays. Deputy Ó Snodaigh and I spoke about this a while ago regarding the rehabilitation of sensitive buildings and architecturally conserved areas. There are people with mobility problems who cannot go in the front door of our national cultural institutions. I find that intolerable. It really sticks in my craw that we cannot bring people in the front door regardless of their ability or mobility. The Deputy raised a very interesting point in which I have a personal interest, namely, disabled patrons.”
“A report of that survey has now been finalised and it contains a number of recommendations that aim to improve access for patrons when going out at night. My Department is currently reviewing those recommendations with key stakeholders with a view to providing an action plan with practical measures towards creating a more inclusively accessible night-time economy.”
“The Arts Council also provides financial support to a number of initiatives aimed at increasing public access, participation and engagement in the arts. A new All In scheme developed by people with disabilities will support organisations such as theatres, museums, galleries and festivals to improve access, remove barriers and welcome more people with access requirements. The Arts Council is a partner in developing this new scheme with Arts Council England, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Arts Council of Wales and Creative Scotland. Finally, as a follow up to the report of the night-time economy task force, the Department commissioned a survey in 2024 to examine the issues for patrons and artists with disabilities when going out at night and engaging in cultural activities.”
“Some €1.4 million is now available under stream E of the scheme, which was launched in June 2023. Grants of up to €50,000 are available to not-for-profit arts and cultural organisations. Projects that address accessibility, including accessibility audits as well as the other works mentioned by the Deputy, are also eligible for funding under stream E. As I announced after budget 2026, my Department has been allocated €6 million for the new arts capital programme in line with the commitment in the programme for Government. My Department is in the process of designing the specifications of the scheme, including the setting of eligibility criteria. This will see much-needed capital supports for arts and culture organisations.”
“As outlined in the programme for Government, the Government believes that culture and the arts are essential to a well-rounded society providing opportunities for education, expression and community engagement. My Department is taking a number of steps to improve, increase and widen access to the arts. A network of cultural infrastructure exists throughout the country with the majority in the ownership of local authorities. Annual support, including programming and revenue supports, is provided to this arts and culture infrastructure by local authorities and the Arts Council. Within my Department, the cultural capital scheme was originally launched in October 2019 with a total fund of €4.7 million. Both An Táin and Droichead Arts Centre in County Louth were awarded funding under stream B and stream D of that scheme.”
“We can see the transformation not only in rural Ireland but in urban Ireland over the past number of years with access to proper telecommunications and connectivity. This is only right. We will continue to work on outages and the problems that are there.”
“There is a Dublin-specific issue we have to address. Fadó fadó when cable television came into people's houses - we did not have that luxury in the country, I do not know whether An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach did and Deputy Ó Snodaigh probably did - they had to break footpaths when they brought in cables and in many cases, left no ducting so there is a significant problem involving ducting in a lot of urban areas, particularly in Dublin, that we will have to address with local authorities. It will cost an awful lot of money. I know it is a particularly big issue in suburban Dublin and, in many cases, prevents the delivery of high-speed broadband. It is probably part of the next generation of problems we will have to fix in suburban areas, particularly in Dublin.”
“Now I am lucky to get a question once every two or three months with regard to broadband in rural areas and in urban areas as well, which shows that the money allocated by the Government and by Deputy Donohoe in his former role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has been transformative. If it was not working to the extent that it is in constituencies like my own, we would be inundated with questions. There are issues - I am not saying there are not - but we will work through them. If the Deputy wants to give me the particular details, we will have a look at them.”
“I thank the Deputy. She is right in relation to the blue area in general. We continue to receive very high volumes of queries with regard to blue areas for high-speed broadband and poor speeds and services and things like that. Notwithstanding the fact that there are issues - if the Deputy wants to give me the particular details with regard to specific parts of Skerries and Balbriggan, I will have the Department look at them - I think people in general will acknowledge that some years ago, when I came into the Dáil first, Taoiseach's Questions, Leaders' Questions, the Order of Business and questions to the Minister were all dominated by broadband.”
“This website is regularly updated and provides the expected timeline for delivery and status of any works that are initiated at any point in time. The activities of commercial operators delivering high-speed broadband within blue areas are not planned or funded by the State and the Department has no statutory authority to intervene or report in that regard. However, ComReg provides an online tool on its website to check the available broadband options at a particular address. NBI is bringing fibre broadband to 564,000 premises across the intervention area. The roll-out is divided into 227 deployment areas, each averaging 25 km, although some extend beyond town boundaries due to network design.”
“Balbriggan is largely in the blue area on the broadband map. The blue area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high-speed broadband services. The Department defines high-speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30 Mbps download and 6 Mbps upload. National Broadband Ireland has advised that the majority of premises in Skerries are ready for service, and 2,421 premises in the Skerries deployment area are available to order or pre-order. The remaining premises are currently undergoing survey work and have an anticipated date for connection of October to December 2026. The latest information on when high-speed broadband will become available to premises in the integration area can be found on the website.”
“The Government is committed to the rollout of high-speed broadband right across the country. The national broadband plan, NBP, is the Government's initiative to deliver high-speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland where the commercial telecom operators' reach will not extend. In addition to the work being progress by National Broadband Ireland right across the NBP intervention areas, progress is also being made by commercial operators in expanding their next generation networks throughout the State and ensuring the targets set out in the digital connectivity 2022 strategy are achieved. Skerries is predominantly located in the amber area on the broadband map, which is available on my Department's website. The amber area is to be served by the network deployed under the NBP State-led intervention.”
“With regard to the Bill that was debated last week, Deputy Ó Snodaigh knows quite well my view with regard to comedy. That pertains to the Arts Council and Arts Council grants, which are a totally different thing. I have made my views clear with regard to the Arts Council and the funding of things like country music, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, comedy and other genres of arts which are currently not funded by the Arts Council. I am awaiting a report, which I am sure will probably be due any day now, from Professor Niamh Brennan with regard to the serious governance issues at the Arts Council. It is prudent and responsible to receive that first before I consider any other legislation with regard to the Arts Council that would involve having to come back after Christmas with a second Bill.”
“Let me be clear: I have not made a decision with regard to eligibility, or who will or will not be able to apply. As soon as I do, I will go to the Government with it and it will be brought back to the House. To be honest about it, a lot of people are worried. To use that fear today is not something the Deputy should do. Most people in the arts community are very welcoming of the fact that we have permanency of this scheme going forward. Deputy Bennett mentioned mortgages and things like that. She suggested that I am somehow going to scrap the existing 2,000. I never said that. She should reflect on that.”
“I have not worked out that detail yet. As soon as I do, I will take it to the Government. With regard to journalists, we have journalistic schemes that are operated from my Department, including the court reporting scheme and the supporting democracy schemes. The Deputy might not be aware of them but we support them. I have not dismissed other Departments using basic income, but I am not the Minister for agriculture, as I have said three or four times at this stage. If the Minister for agriculture wants to bring in a basic income for farmers scheme, that is his prerogative. I am the Minister for arts. I never said that people on the existing scheme would not be able to apply for the new scheme. That is an unfortunate conflation Deputy Bennett is trying to do here. I do not know whether that is to try to instil fear in the artists.”
“I remind the House that since my appointment as Minister for the arts, I have made sure this is to be put on a permanent footing. When I came into the Department, there was no prospect of this being retained. That should be seen as a big positive given the budgetary discussions we had.”
“The people outside the scheme at the moment are every bit as anxious to know if they will get a chance to come in. If it is the same cohort who roll over again, that is not fair to the people outside of it. I think both Deputies would agree we have to make sure whatever we do is fair. There is also a level of engagement we have to do with the Department of Social Protection with regard to the issues raised. Ultimately, changes in eligibility for Department of Social Protection schemes are a matter for the Minister for Social Protection. I hope that once this level of engagement and consultation with the sector, which is ongoing and led by my Department, has finished, I will be in a position to bring forward shortly - I will not give a date - a proposal to the Government which will get its agreement.”
“I welcome that people are so supportive of the scheme. There is a complication with regard to how the scheme runs forward because the pilot was due to end on 31 December, but out of savings in our Department's resources we are able to extend it to February to give an extra two months. At the same time, I mentioned the level of consultation we are doing in the Department. It is probably the largest consultative process we have ever done in the Department. It shows the range of opinions. Not everybody agrees on the mechanisms that should be imported for a new scheme. There is a large cohort for whom this scheme was not an option. I have to make sure that whatever we do is fair and reflective of similar schemes the Government also runs with randomised selection and things like that.”
“I hope to take a proposal to the Government as soon as possible and will aim to open for applications at the earliest opportunity thereafter. While the detail of the future scheme will need to be agreed by the Government, this is a major milestone for artists and the arts in Ireland. I was delighted to have secured an allocation for a successor scheme as part of the budget.”
“The basic income for the arts successor scheme will help to sustain the careers of those artists who will receive it and retain their talent in the arts sector. Based on the amount allocated to the basic income for the arts subhead in the budget of €18.27 million, the successor scheme will support the practices of at least 2,000 artists in 2026 at €325 per week with payment beginning in quarter 4. Stakeholder consultation and engagement with other relevant Government Departments on the design of the new scheme will continue to determine details such as the duration, eligibility and selection method, the details of which have not yet been agreed or decided. Once the parameters of the scheme have been agreed by the Government, I intend to publish them.”
“The basic income for the arts research has developed a strong, irrefutable evidence base that the intervention has worked and has consistent positive impacts for those in receipt of it. Artists in receipt of the support are typically able to devote more time to their art, produce more pieces of work, experience a boost to their well-being through greater life satisfaction and reduced anxiety and are protected from the precarious nature of this sector to a greater degree than those who are not receiving the support. The research from the pilot has consistently demonstrated both the positive impact the basic income for the arts has for those in receipt of it and how difficult it is to work as an artist in Ireland given the income precarity prevalent in the sector.”
“Dependence on social protection declined with recipients receiving €100 less per month on average and they are 38 percentage points less likely to receive jobseeker’s payments. The cost-benefit analysis also shows that the scheme produced over €100 million in social and economic benefits. As I mentioned, for every €1 of public money invested, society received €1.39. The findings of the latest basic income for the arts report on two years of the payment shows that basic income for the arts recipients, compared with those not in receipt of the basic income for the arts, are six percentage points more likely to have worked, spend on average 11 weekly hours more on their creative practice, are 14 percentage points more likely to have completed new works in the previous six months and invest more financially in their practices.”
“Recently, I published a cost-benefit analysis showing that the real net fiscal cost of the basic income for the arts pilot was just under €72 million over the three years compared with a gross cost of €105 million for the three years. This is because the basic income for the arts generated returns in the form of tax revenues of €36 million and savings in social protection payments of €6.5 million. For every €1 of public money invested in the pilot, society received €1.39 in return. The cost-benefit analysis shows that audience engagement with the arts generated an estimated €16.9 million in social value over the three-year pilot and improvements in psychological well-being contributed almost €80 million to the total benefit.”
“According to the data the Department has collected, 51% of artists who do not receive the basic income for the arts are living in enforced deprivation, compared with 16% of the general population. The scheme is therefore a means of addressing consistent poverty in the sector. The data also shows that at the start of the basic income for the arts scheme, the median income earned by those on the scheme was €19,200 per annum, which is 54% lower than the national annual median of €41,823. At the same time, recipients’ arts-related income increased by over €500 per month on average, while their income from non-arts work decreased by around €280.”
“The pilot scheme provides a weekly income of €325 to approximately 2,000 randomly selected artists and creative arts workers. The primary objective of the scheme is to help artists to deal with precarious incomes and to prevent talent from leaving the sector for economic reasons. The pilot is underpinned by a robust research project consisting of a randomised controlled trial with a treatment group of 2,000 and a control group of 1,000. It is clear from evidence collected to date that it has a positive impact for those in receipt of it. The data shows that the basic income for the arts is having a consistent, positive impact across all indicators affecting practice development, sectoral retention, well-being and deprivation.”
“Consultations and planning in relation to this are currently under way. I can confirm that the basic income for the arts pilot scheme will end in February 2026, which is when the final pilot payment will be made to the current cohort of recipients. We intend to announce a successor scheme and open for applications in the new year. While eligibility has not yet been finalised, a new cohort of recipients will be selected on the basis of eligible applications for a successor scheme. Therefore, it will not be the same 2,000 recipients. Applications to that successor scheme will be based on the eligibility criteria and parameters of that scheme. Those details will be published once they have been agreed by the Government.”
“There were over 200 attendees from across the arts sector including resource organisations, local authorities and artists, both recipients and those not on the pilot. Eligibility criteria and parameters for a successor scheme have not yet been finalised. The cost of the basic income for the arts pilot scheme was €35 million for a full calendar year for 2,000 artists to participate, with each recipient receiving €325 a week. There were over 8,200 eligible applicants to the pilot in 2022. To have funded all those eligible would have cost approximately €139 million per year. Agreement has been secured by the Government for a successor to the basic income for the arts pilot scheme with an allocation of €18.27 million in my Department’s 2026 Estimate. I look forward to the design and delivery of the successor scheme.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 7, 23, 32 and 56 together. I was delighted to have secured an allocation for a successor scheme to the basic income for the arts pilot as part of budget 2026. While the detail of the future scheme will need to be agreed by the Government, this is a major milestone for the arts in Ireland. I am particularly pleased that the research my Department conducted provided the Government with a clear evidence base upon which to make the decision. More than 17,000 submissions were received to the public consultation I held in August. This is a record for our Department and shows how much interest there is in this scheme. I also held a stakeholder forum to gather input from the sector on plans for a successor scheme.”
“There is only one element of the National Museum of Ireland, for instance, outside Dublin, that being in County Mayo. There is an opportunity now under the NDP to see how we can incorporate something similar in other regions of the country.”
“Nobody wants to go out of his or her way to look stupid. The reality, as the Deputy knows as well as I do, is that when one goes under the bonnet of buildings like Leinster House, for example, one finds in the detailed design and in the final planning, as I saw in previous Departments I was in, that sometimes the depth of the problems associated with heritage buildings, in particular, is only discovered after the fact. I have made clear that I am not happy there is such a differential in the cost. The planning and design phase has led to the project changing considerably. I can get the Deputy the exact details on what has been added to the scope of works since the plan that was originally anticipated. I welcome the Deputy's comment that we should see more NCIs outside Dublin.”
“No moneys were expended prior to the initial response I gave a while ago, when I made reference to the figure of €6.5 million. We are now in a position, thanks to a Government decision arrived at in the past fortnight, to proceed. The Crawford Art Gallery is the only national cultural institution wholly outside of the city of Dublin and represents a massive part of our national development plan allocation in its entirety.”
“The Deputy is quite right; there have been delays. We are now in a position whereby the contractor will be in place in January and it is to be hoped the project will be completed in 2028. The Deputy omitted to say, perhaps in error, that in the intervening period since the preliminary business case was completed, inflation in the construction sector has been running at 40% or more. It is a complicated and challenging site. It is a city centre site and heritage building. It is not straightforward. As with all of these things, there are elements that come to light after the fact that would not necessarily have been to the fore until the detailed design was initiated. There is a significant cost differential. My Department has guidelines we have to adhere to. Those guidelines were adhered to.”
“In line with the infrastructure guidelines, the final business case has been completed. As part of this process, there was a reappraisal of all options to deliver this key project. It found the proposed option remains the best to redevelop the gallery on a cost and quality basis. To proceed with the redevelopment now is the most direct, timely and cost-effective way to deliver a new and revitalised Crawford Art Gallery that will be a landmark artistic and cultural amenity in the centre of Cork city and bring to conclusion a project that has been planned for many years. The contractor is expected to be on site in early 2026 and the project will be completed in 2028. The gallery fit-out, commissioning and reoccupation will follow prior to opening.”
“The original estimate at preliminary business case stage was arrived at in 2020, prior to the planning and design phase, and the project has changed substantially since then. There has also been considerable construction inflation of just under 40% since 2020. In 2024, the project went out to tender in the market. Following the outcome of the tender process to determine the main contractor, integrated design team and reserved specialists, the overall project budget estimate for the Crawford development is now €93.1 million, including VAT. To date, €6.5 million has been spent to bring the project through to this stage. This figure covers investigative surveys, design costs, the costs of decanting the art works and getting the art works into storage. The remaining capital costs are estimated at €86.6 million.”
“I thank the Deputy for welcoming the fact that the work on the Crawford Art Gallery is going ahead. The national cultural institution investment programme is a key investment programme for the Department under the national development plan. All of the projects, including the redevelopment of the Crawford Art Gallery, are progressed in line with the infrastructure guidelines. The purpose of the infrastructure guidelines process is to develop and refine the project, including the cost estimates. The redevelopment of the Crawford Art Gallery is a challenging and complex project that requires a combination of conservation and new-build elements on a restricted city centre site.”
“That is a question we will have to answer as a House soon because I will have to bring forward proposals, along with my colleagues the Ministers for public expenditure and reform and Social Protection. I hope all parties support that.”
“I am glad to inform the House that I inhabit the real world and most of the parents, teachers and people in the real world I speak to are concerned about children online and age verification. While Deputy Gibney might not think it is as important an issue as I do, as I said at committee it is important. Deputy Ó Snodaigh will recall that the last time we had to use the Government's data set for a particular piece of legislation, it floundered because some interest groups outside of the House were more interested in privacy than other issues and they got their way. The question of which is more important, privacy or the protection of children online, will be a difficult and salient one for the House.”
“We have had extensive engagement in the Department on this, in particular in the context of Ireland's Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of next year. I am very conscious of the complexities of the issue and the fact that Deputy Gibney has raised an issue regarding age verification. How do we verify someone's age without having a data set that we know is verifiable? If someone says they are not prepared to hand over a data set, how can a person's age be verified? This is a very serious issue. In order to protect a child, we must have robust and strong data that shows he or she is over 18. If the Deputy is now saying that a person's rights with regard to their privacy trumps a child's age online, that is the start of a very big problem in the House.”
“I believe that any decision would be better taken by the EU and EU member states together but there are differing views on whether there should be an age of digital majority at all and, if there is one, what age it should be, or whether it should be an outright ban or a ban subject to parental consent. Finally, the upcoming digital fairness Act seeks to tackle dark patterns and unethical techniques or commercial patterns on social media platforms. I will continue to work across government and with stakeholders to improve online safety.”
“Failure to adequately fulfil obligations under the DSA can lead to significant financial sanctions and continued non-compliance can lead to criminal sanctions for senior management under the OSMR. Alongside this, I am working across Government to support robust age verification. In doing so, we must seek to ensure interoperability and respect users' rights, including data protection rights. To that end, my officials are working with the Government’s Chief Information Officer and his office to look at practical technical solutions to age verification as part of the Government's digital wallet being developed using MyGovID. In addition, European Union member states are examining the so-called “digital age of majority” and Ireland is doing likewise.”
“The online safety code applies to designated video-sharing platforms established in Ireland, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X, and Part B of the code contains specific obligations to put in place robust age assurance to prevent children from accessing adult content such as pornography or extreme violence. An Coimisiún na Meán is supervising compliance by designated services with the code. As digital services co-ordinator under the DSA, An Coimisiún na Meán works with the European Commission to ensure platforms put in place the systems and processes required to minimise the risk of exposure of children and young adults to illegal and harmful online content. The European Commission is investigating certain platforms with regard to their algorithms and the "rabbit hole" effect.”
“Online safety is a key Government priority. We have taken major steps forward in recent years and with Coimisiún na Meán the heart of our online safety framework, we have the tools to improve online safety, in particular for children and vulnerable adults. The online safety framework comprises the online safety code, the EU Digital Services Act, DSA, under which An Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland's digital services co-ordinator, and the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation, for which An Coimisiún na Meán is a competent authority.”
“We have also provided significantly increased funding to support Ireland’s sports organisations and programmes. This includes €3 million for the FAI, €983,000 for the GAA, €722,000 for the IRFU, €1.56 million for the Gaelic Players Association; and €1.5 million for high-performance sport. These increases will allow for the delivery of the FAI-League of Ireland academies, support the IRFU to enhance women’s rugby and go towards the much-needed development of hurling, our national game. We have a number of major sports events planned for the coming years. I am confident that the increased budget allocation for the Department will place these sectors in good stead for the future and enable us to build on the good work already under way.”
“Sport is a core part of what makes us Irish, as seen from our recent successes at the Ryder Cup, the World Athletics Championships and the UCI World Cycling Championships, as well as the popularity and economic success of the National Football League events held in Ireland. All the while right around the country, club championships ignite the passion of local communities. The Government is committed to supporting that passion, from grassroots level right up to elite-athlete level. Provision for the sports sector will see an increase of 25.9% in 2026. This will be reflected in investment in facilities throughout the country via the Community Sports Facilities Fund, which has an allocation of €58 million, and an additional €18.7 million for the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund. We will launch those in early 2026.”
“In line with the Government agreement reached last year, RTÉ will receive €240 million in public funding to continue implementing its new strategy. I am also allocating funding to continue to ensure the ongoing independence and recognised integrity of our independent media sector and to help to protect a free and pluralistic media sector. An additional €4.4 million in Exchequer funding has been allocated to support media funding schemes administered by Coimisiún na Meán. Alongside this, a new provision of €1.1 million has been allocated to support the implementation of the national counter-disinformation strategy, bringing total supports to the independent media sector to €35.5 million.”
“The Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, will speak further about that in the time ahead. On broadcasting and media, the total allocation for 2026 is €357 million. This funding will continue to promote and protect a diverse and pluralistic media sector by ensuring the provision of high-quality public service programming and public interest journalism. TG4’s public funding for 2026 is just over €65 million, which will enable increased investment in the commissioning of high-quality Irish-language content, from children’s programming to documentaries, films and drama. The increase of over €5 million compared with 2025 will enable TG4 to develop a new digital service to meet the needs of Irish speakers across the country.”
“My Department is reviewing the statutory powers available to me, as Minister, and to ComReg in relation to requirements placed on operators around network restoration. In respect of postal policy, the Government remains committed to supporting Ireland’s post office network. In line with the programme for Government, I am allocating €15 million for the network. This will be subject to Government approval of a successor to the current scheme, but I am confident that it will be rolled out early in the new year. Clearly, the online world has changed the nature of our postal services. It has also created challenges for the post office network. However, it also gives rise to opportunities. It is important, therefore, that the network positions itself to take these opportunities to ensure its sustainability and remain a vital service.”
“The roll-out of the national broadband plan will be ahead of schedule and within budget. I am pleased to have allocated €433 million for the plan for next year. Over 420,000 premises are forecast to be passed by the end of 2025, with approximately 4,000 new connections now being completed every month. For those who said this would never happen, these are amazing statistics. Design work has been completed in townlands across every county, with over 567,000 premises now surveyed. This programme is transformative for rural Ireland. I have stated previously that we must ensure the security and resilience of our communications and digital infrastructure in the face of increasing threats, both from malicious attacks and extreme weather.”
“Funding will also be provided for major redevelopments at the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork, and these are due to commence later this year. In addition, we are on track to begin the Discover Centre redevelopment at the National Concert Hall, which will provide for learning and engagement in music. A new €6 million capital works scheme will be introduced to fund arts capital projects across the country, in line with a commitment in the programme for Government. The communications allocation for my Department has increased by over €40 million to a total of €483 million. The aim of the relevant programme is to deliver world-class connectivity and communications, ensuring that agile, responsive and resilient digital infrastructure is in place and supporting the transformation of the digital economy.”
“I have made an additional allocation of €600,000 to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, which will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2026 with Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann i mBéal Feiriste. Continued funding for the Creative Ireland programme, delivered directly by my Department in partnership with local authorities and other Departments and agencies, will continue to unlock the power of creativity across many sectors. I have allocated an additional €4.7 million across seven national cultural institutions. This will address a number of needs in those institutions. It will also serve to expand education, learning and outreach programmes. Almost €85 million in capital funding has been allocated to the culture and arts sector. This will facilitate a number of key projects, including the completion of the repository at the National Archives.”