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 producers themselves are very confident and happy not only with the Dublin and Wicklow area, but also regionally in Limerick. Places like Troy Studios have been busier in recent years and there have been a number of very important productions there. Culture Ireland's budget has been increased to €8.8 million to help to develop and sustain Irish artists' international careers. In 2026, Culture Ireland will continue to increase funding for its showcase activity across the world as an impactful way for international presenters to be introduced to emerging Irish artists. A further significant allocation will be made in the Revised Estimate to enable Culture Ireland to present a major cultural programme next year as part of the EU Presidency.”
“It is therefore likely that it will be the second half of the year before payments under the successor scheme will begin. The application process will be opened earlier in the year. An additional €2.1 million has been provided to Screen Ireland to support its work in making Ireland a competitive destination for major international motion pictures and the progression and development of a new strategy to grow the gaming sector in Ireland. I welcome the new measures announced by the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, enhancing the relief under section 481 for eligible projects in the visual effects industry. I have also intimated to the Minister that, in subsequent budgets, I would like to revisit the issue of regional uplift. Substantial supports have been provided up to now not only directly through Screen Ireland, but also through section 481.”
“The provision of €384 million for the arts and culture programme will serve to promote and develop Ireland's world-class artistic and creative strengths at home and abroad, maximising their societal, economic and reputational value for the country. An allocation of €18.27 million will be provided for the basic income for the arts scheme and its successor. This facilitates the completion of the pilot phase to the end of February and enables me to bring proposals for a successor scheme to the Government, taking account of the quantitative and qualitative research data, public and stakeholder consultation feedback and the findings of the cost-benefit analysis carried out on the scheme. Once I have secured the agreement of the Government, I will open the new scheme for applications.”
“Against that backdrop, the work carried out by my Department and the bodies under its aegis is critical in raising spirits and unifying people through sports experiences and participation and a vibrant cultural ecology. It is also vital in providing dependable independent media and information and readily accessible online communications. The work this Department supports serves as a guiding light when the world seems to be in shadow. Budget 2026 provides for increased funding across all programme areas. Additional current funding of €49.8 million has been provided along with a further €81 million in capital uplift. This represents a total increase of 9.5% over 2025.”
“They are intrinsic parts of the daily life of each and every citizen and visitor to the island, whether visiting a museum or gallery, listening to music, watching the news, attending a sports event or engaging with the wider business, cultural or sporting world using fibre broadband in every corner of the country. The sectors under the aegis of the Department not only enhance our lives through mental and physical well-being, but also provide vital employment and a significant return on taxpayer investment. The current global challenges can seem overwhelming with continued global conflict, climate change and the rise of misinformation.”
“Tá áthas orm labhairt leis an gCeann Comhairle agus leis na Teachtaí maidir leis an leithdháileadh de €1.51 billiún atá tugtha do mo Roinn i mbuiséad 2026 agus cur síos a dhéanamh ar roinnt de na bearta a chothóidh, a fheabhsóidh agus a fhorbróidh na hearnálacha atá faoi mo chúram. This is the first budget for my Department in its new configuration with responsibility for arts, culture, media, telecommunications and sport. The sectors the Department will support through budget 2026 resonate with the core of who we are as individuals and as a people.”
“When he speaks to deliver change and results for people, it is not a lack of personal integrity or responsibility that inhibits him, but rather a structural deficiency in a system that cannot adapt and respond as quickly Simon Harris does. We are here today because the system failed Harvey. The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Health have detailed the changes that will be brought in as a result of that, particularly in the area of CHI. Political sniping and performative motions do not change the system. They only slow it down further and distract from the delivery and change we all desperately need to see happen for all our children. Children like Harvey deserve better and the memory of Harvey's life, his legacy, deserve better politics, policies, public service and political outcomes.”
“I have heard his frustration as representations he made on behalf of people were answered with clinical words and unacceptably long timelines. I watched him rise through the political ranks and become a Minister, Taoiseach and Tánaiste. As a politician, he made his mark quickly. He is always able to set targets and encourages others to do the same, looking to the next challenge and pushing people around him to perform to his work rate, which is exemplary. He leads by example and is one of the most intelligent, strategically motivated and compassionate people I have ever worked with. He is also a human, husband and father and a person of great emotional depth.”
“Ar dtús, déanaim comhbhrón le muintir Harvey. Ar an lámh eile, tacaím leis an Tánaiste agus le rún an Rialtais atá os comhair na Dála inniu. As his friend for a long time - since we both sat in this House together when we were first elected in 2011 - I will speak about the confidence I have in Simon Harris. Since he became a TD for Wicklow, and before that as a councillor and campaigner for autism services, Simon has worked day and night to the best of his ability for the people he serves, particularly people who feel ignored or excluded or who are treated differently. As a parent, I have seen his dedication and distress at the roadblocks and barriers faced by families trying to access vital services, particularly in the area of disability services.”
“The disability strategy I referred to goes a long way to that but we still have a lot of work to do in this space and in the collaboration between Sport Ireland, Creative Ireland, the HSE, my Department and that of the Minister for Health over the next number of months and years. We have ambition in this space. If Covid taught us anything it is that we cannot just leave our elderly with a radio, to be looked at through a sheet a glass. That is not stimulus and is not what anybody wants for anybody who is in an institution. They might be well looked after but there is more to life than that.”
“I could not agree with the Deputy. It is appropriate that his question has landed just as the Minister for Health has landed to the Chamber because this is an initiative that both Departments work on. The Minister and I are due to visit some nursing homes in the not too distant future to see the work that has taken place between the Department of Health and Creative Ireland. The Deputy is right. It is important that people are given a stimulus regardless of their age. Age should have no bearing on whether they participate in sport or cultural activity. Age should be no impediment or barrier to doing that; neither should someone's place of residence or their mobility or disability.”
“Through initiatives such as Get Ireland Active and Get Ireland Walking, the outdoor swimming infrastructure scheme, and the physical activity for health programme, we are addressing key health challenges and breaking down barriers to participation in sport.”
“The Department and the Department of Health have also co-funded a music in nursing homes scheme, through which local authorities bring professional musicians with musical performances to residents. The benefits of sport and physical activity to physical and mental health are well proven. In partnership with the Department of Health under the healthy Ireland fund, Sport Ireland delivers a wide range of projects and programmes designed to increase the population's participation in sport and physical activity through the network of local sport's partnerships, recognised national governing bodies for sports and other relevant sporting organisations.”
“Funding for the arts and health under the plan includes over €2 million from my Department for the creative health and wellbeing in the community scheme to support collaboration between Creative Ireland and healthy Ireland teams in the local authorities. The key focus of this initiative is supporting better mental health through participation in creative and cultural activities. Under the auspices of the plan, a number of innovative actions are being progressed, including the next iteration of the Traveller health and wellbeing through creativity scheme; the development of arts and health training for medical undergraduates; and support for the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing in Trinity College Dublin to provide further research evidence for the benefits of participation in creative and cultural activity.”
“In July 2025, the first strategy action plan for creative arts and health was published as a joint policy document by the Department and the Department of Health. This is a key milestone in a policy partnership that began in 2020 in response to Covid. The plan aims to create a framework that can address the intersectoral and structural issues necessary to embed arts and health in a systemic way in Ireland in order to realise the potential of participation in creative and cultural activity as a positive health behaviour. The vision of the plan is that people living in Ireland have access to creative and cultural activity as part of a holistic health journey throughout their lives, supporting better health and well-being outcomes and enriching the creative and artistic landscape.”
“I certainly will. The point was raised earlier and we had a good discussion on the basic income for the arts. The Deputy will be as familiar with this as myself but one of the groups of people who are particularly hardest hit are disabled artists. We want to make sure that any replacement we bring to the scheme, which is currently on a pilot basis, does take into account - if we get the resources from the budget next week - the severe impediments and severe hurdles that people with disabilities have on top of being an artist. Having a disability and being an artist in this country at the moment is quite difficult and we want to try to be able to recognise that.”
“In the next round of grants I will be making available, particularly the first round of arts capital grants, I will have a particular emphasis on the issue of disability access, and also in the area of sports capital, which we have done for the last number of years. We have been very keen to bring inclusivity around the area of disability to the fore and will be continuing with that.”
“While I might not be able to give the Deputy an answer with regard to trains, I certainly hope my colleague the Minister for Transport will. Generally with regard to venue accessibility, the Deputy makes a very good point. As somebody who has photosensitivity myself and is precluded from going into a lot of different places because of lighting schemes and the like, I know unfortunately what it is like to have a disability that precludes me from doing things that some people take for granted and just get on with. It can be very debilitating, there is no doubt about it. It means that participating in cultural activities which I would love to be in a position to do, and which I was criticised by The Irish Times for not being able to do - thanks, The Irish Times - is something I am acutely aware of.”
“While some funding is direct, most of the funding is part of a wider programme of expenditure and is subject to annual budgetary adjustments. To complement this strategy, I recently published an overview of supports provided by my Department to persons with disabilities and this is available on my Department’s website. This includes supports across the range of Government functions. I am committed to the delivery of goals and actions agreed by my Department for the culture, communications and sport sectors, as outlined in the strategy, and my officials will continue to engage with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality over the lifetime of the strategy.”
“With regard to the overall funding provided to such grants, my Department provided funding of €1.868 million in 2024 to the Arts Council to support artists and persons with disabilities to access services. In addition, in 2024, €22.7 million in funding was provided to the Coimisiún na Mean Sound and Vision scheme for the production of audio and audiovisual content. To date in 2025, €13.4 million has been provided. A key objective of the scheme is to encourage inclusivity and accessibility, which is achieved through support for programmes with access services like subtitling, audio description and Irish sign language. With regard to sport, there are a range of funding supports for persons with disabilities.”
“I welcome and support the publication of the new National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. The Department’s obligations, and those of bodies under its aegis, are contained under pillar 3 of the new strategy and include implementing Sport Ireland’s disability inclusion in sport statement and commitment to action, encouraging the production of accessible audiovisual content, embedding universal design and accessibility, addressing barriers, providing for an increased and richer participation of disabled audiences and creators in arts and cultural events nationwide, and enabling equal participation in the arts by disabled artists and arts workers. The disability lead and associated grants are funded through the overall budgetary allocations that my Department provides to the various agencies and bodies under my remit.”
“We are hoping that through the programme for Government over the next number of years regional uplift will be given. It was given previously, probably at a really bad time in the context of Covid and everything else. It is something I would certainly like to revisit. Is iad na ceantair Ghaeltachta na ceantair ina mbeidh an seans acu an cos seo a chur chun cinn.”
“I have met the streamers on a number of occasions now in the United States and online with regard to making sure the infrastructure is appropriate and adequate here in Ireland for production of television, trí mheán an Bhéarla agus na Gaeilge. As the Deputy rightly said, there has been a major uplift in the number of Irish-language productions in the last number of years and we want to continue that. We have a physical infrastructure now in terms of the stages, including in my own and the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach's area with Troy Studios as well as in Wicklow and Dublin, where the number of productions has skyrocketed over recent years, in no small way due to the work of Screen Ireland, the supports that have been put in place through section 481 and the scale uplift recently.”
“The Film Fleadh in Galway during the summer showed a number of small productions that had been supported under section 481, such as a scale uplift I was recently able to provide for, to make sure the Irish language is not only seen on television through TG4 but also on the large screen. The potential is immense. At the moment, there is a kind of athbheochan na dteangacha éagsúla san Eoraip agus is í an Ghaeilge an ceann is tábhachtaí domsa.”
“Tá an ceart ag an Teachta. Beidh an Bille a raibh mé ag caint faoi os comhair na Dála go luath. Coimisiún na Meán has a very important role in this in terms of making sure that ultimately the policy objectives of the Government are going to be adhered to. I have enunciated the responsibilities it has with regard to grant assistance and things like that. We have a very ambitious plan around the Irish language, I think that is fair to say in general terms. The funding to TG4 has almost doubled. It is not just TG4, however. Looking at the screen industry and Screen Ireland in particular, supports were given to "An Cailín Ciúin", for instance, and that is just one.”
“The Future of Media Commission recommended that Coimisiún na Meán conduct a comprehensive review of Irish language media services. The review is being undertaken by Coimisiún na Meán. I await its findings to see how it can inform continued growth in the provision of Irish language content across the media sector. I fundamentally believe in supporting the Irish independent production sector and productions in the Irish language, as is reflected by the many ongoing supports provided to the sector through funding from Coimisiún na Meán and Screen Ireland as well as the section 481 film tax relief.”
“The Sound and Vision scheme continues to provide essential support for the independent production sector, including for independent Irish language productions. In 2024, the Sound and Vision scheme awarded over €7 million in funding support to Irish language or bilingual productions, with approximately 30% of the overall funding provided. In 2025 so far, this figure amounts to €5.5 million, or 39%. A total of €6.5 million in funding was awarded in the latest round of Sound and Vision, with €2.9 million or 46% of this going to support Irish language or bilingual productions. The general scheme of the broadcasting (amendment) Bill provides that funding schemes supporting the production of public service content shall allocate a minimum of 25% of funding in support of Irish language content production.”
“The Government is committed under the programme for Government to enhancing supports for the increased use of the Irish language. The provision of content by the independent production sector has been a key element of public service broadcasting in Ireland for many years. In particular TG4, as a publisher broadcaster, commissions the vast majority of its content from the independent sector and, as such, plays a significant role in supporting and nurturing the sector, especially the Irish language creative sector. Government support to TG4 has increased from €37.2 million in 2020 to €60 million this year. This has enabled TG4 to increase the content it commissions and, as a consequence, increase its investment in and support for the independent productions sector, particularly in the Gaeltacht.”
“Every letter that comes out of the hands of a postman has a knock-on consequence. While An Post is making great strides in parcel delivery, my hope is that it continues in that vein. Postal services across Europe have changed and they are going to change more, and we also have to accept that reality in Ireland. We have to be prepared to accept it. People cannot have a mail service without there being an increase in the price of stamps at the same time. Those two things do not make sense. I appreciate that the Deputy is trying to inject a bit of honesty into this debate, because for too long the postal services in this country have been politicalised to the point of being dishonest.”
“If the Deputy sends me those details, I will arrange to do that. One thing I have a concern about, which I have previously raised, is that there is an obvious rush and everyone wants to see this rush around digitisation of public services, and that is a good thing. However, every time we take a letter out of the hands of An Post, there is a gap in where the company has to find that money. Over the past number of years, we have taken millions of letters out of the hands of An Post through various digitisation schemes, which have been looked for and welcomed in this House and pushed by people. That is all very well and good, but it has a knock-on consequence. We are not in a position where we can subsidise the postal service under EU state aid rules, as I outlined.”
“Unless people go in and use a post office, the post office becomes unviable. That is not just a rural phenomenon; it is also an urban one. To echo what the Deputy said, we have a use-it-or-lose it policy. Unfortunately, in the reality that we are in at the moment with EU state aid rules, if people do not use their local post offices, then the post offices in many cases will close.”
“The issue the Deputy raised regarding urban post offices and mail delivery is not a purely urban phenomenon. Unfortunately, we have interruptions in rural services as well. The Deputy might send me the details. While I do not have any role with An Post, I will certainly forward the details to the company. While the Deputy is not suggesting this, as I said in response to a previous question, An Post does not operate on the basis of sentiment. An awful lot of people are bemoaning the fact that post offices are closing. In many cases, they are closing because of the economic inviability. There could be 300 or 400 people turning up to a public meeting. How many of those people use the post office? Postmasters cannot be paid to hang out over a counter and keep people in chat. They have to make a living.”
“An Post has statutory responsibility for the State's postal service and the post office network. Decisions relating to the network, including decisions relating to specific post offices are operational matters for the board and management of the company and are not ones in which I, as Minister, have any function. Similarly, the terms of the postmasters’ contract with An Post are a matter between the postmasters and An Post. Any negotiations are a matter for both parties directly.”
“An amount of €10 million per annum is being provided over a three-year fixed period from 2023 to 2025 to An Post. An Post then disperses this funding across the post office network, with all contractor post offices benefiting from the Government funding with the objective of securing the stability of the network. The funding is being paid monthly for each 12-month period. To date, over €25 million has been claimed by An Post for the network. The current funding provides time and space for An Post to accelerate the transformation and commercialisation of the network to ensure a relevant, commercially viable network delivering more services to citizens and small businesses. An Post is a commercial semi-State body with a mandate to act commercially.”
“The Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network as a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. The programme for Government states that the Government will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with funding to ensure their sustainability and enhance the value they bring to local communities. The Department is working to deliver on this and is engaging with relevant stakeholders in relation to future funding, including for securing of a new mandate from the Government to continue funding at an enhanced level while ensuring an adequate legal basis and compliance with state aid rules. In due course, I will seek the Government's approval to progress legislation to affect the funding to provide certainty to the network post 2025.”
“I am not sure if Deputy McGuinness is on the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, but I am a former member of it and it is a very good vehicle to get issues like this raised by him or one of the Deputy's party colleagues who is a member of that assembly. It might also form part of a topic of discussion because there may very well be items in Irish museums and universities that could find themselves being repatriated to somewhere in Wales, Scotland or England. As I say, it has to be a two-way street.”
“In an Irish context, universities are independent entities. As a former Minister for further and higher education, I know they really take pride in their independence. I would encourage them to exercise their independence proportionately and to reflect on what they have in their archives and on display. Universities, including Irish ones, should ask themselves whether the items they have on display are in keeping with the process of repatriation. Ultimately, that will be a matter for the governing authorities of universities, in the same way the issue the Deputy raises is a matter for the governing authority or its equivalent in Cambridge University.”
“The OPW conducted a very comprehensive body of work at the time and it was able to conclude that none of the State's buildings were in any way involved or had an attachment in any way, for want of a better word, to the remembrance and celebration in some cases, warped and all as that may be, of the trade in human beings. On the point Deputy McGuinness makes, it is a two-way street and we have to be conscious of what potentially is within our own stores as well. Obviously, the Heritage Council has a role in this and I will engage with it further.”
“That is a two-way street, because there may very well be items in Irish institutions, which is something that is also of concern to me, that predate the foundation of the State or may have found their way into State collections by way of benefactors. We have to be conscious of that as well. In my time, for instance, as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, I was very keen to make sure that any of the public buildings under the State's care and managed by the Office of Public Works did not in any way have artistic representation or any sort of presentations that were connected directly to slavery or the trade in human beings.”
“Through its work, the advisory committee will also provide guidance on related matters, including provenance research, to cultural institutions and other bodies that have responsibility for managing historic collections. Progress is well under way on this work. I received a very comprehensive report on the work of the committee from its chair earlier this year. I was greatly impressed at the detailed work programme being undertaken by the committee into this sensitive policy area and its progress across the various programme strands. I also recently met with the director of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan, on these matters to assure the committee of my support for its work. I take this opportunity to thank the members of the committee and the Heritage Council for their continued support in this.”
“The committee comprises a number of independent experts, including representatives from the national cultural institutions, key Departments, the Heritage Council, as well as the wider museum, claimant and academic sectors. Further information about the membership of the advisory committee can be found on the Government's website as well as on the Heritage Council's website. The advisory committee is tasked with developing policy advice and national guidelines on the restitution of cultural heritage objects in Ireland that may have been illegally or unethically elicited or traded. This approach is grounded in the research and evidence of best practice internationally and the committee has been working hard on reviewing this research and conducting research within our own collecting institutions.”
“The issue of repatriation and restitution is an important one, especially in the current global context. While my Department is not engaged directly with institutions in other countries regarding the restitution and repatriation of cultural heritage, it is represented on the advisory committee on the restitution and repatriation of cultural heritage. This committee was established to advise the Government on issues relating to the restitution of historically and culturally sensitive objects in Ireland. The advisory committee is chaired by Sir Donnell Deeny, an expert in this field of work, and is ably supported by the Heritage Council, as secretariat.”
“The Deputy's summing-up properly reflect his sentiments and what he is trying to achieve. My Department and I will work with him over the coming months in advance of bringing forward a memorandum to the Government to see how his views can be best represented in that.”
“It is no coincidence that the vast majority of United States presidents, in particular pre-1900, have had very strong, tangible links to the island of Ireland, with some of their parents born here. That is really important. It is not just the presidents of the United States; three of the signatories to the Declaration of Independence were born on the island of Ireland. That is something the Tánaiste and Minister for foreign affairs is anxious to promote for the events that will take place in the United States in 2026.”
“I do not disagree with Deputy Timmins. He will be aware that in the case of the vast majority of those United States presidents prior to 1900 who had ancestors from the island of Ireland, their ancestors came from County Antrim, so there is a North-South dimension to this as well. The Department deals with that. I have had discussions with the Minister, Gordon Lyons. It will also include the Department of the Taoiseach through the shared island initiative. I am preparing to bring forward a memorandum on this shortly. I do not disagree with what the Deputy says about soft power. At the end of the day, people crave an understanding of where they come from. I was at the Ryder Cup at the weekend and it was clearly evident in discussions that every second person I met had some connection to the island of Ireland.”
“One of his lasting legacies, among so many other contributions to the State, was his dedication, expert guidance and commitment to forging a collaborative path in commemorations that allowed and encouraged everyone to take part, no matter their background, beliefs or standing.”
“As Minister with responsibility for commemorations, I hope to shortly bring a memorandum for information to the Government that will contain the approved events that will form the national programme for America250. Across the island of Ireland, there are many communities that have a proud connection to American Presidents. Through the local authority network, the Department will work with these communities to ensure these connections are shared and remembered. I acknowledge the passing of the deputy chair of the expert advisory group, Dr. Martin Mansergh, in the past ten days.”
“It is something that I, on the face of it, support. It was brought to my attention by Deputy Timmins along with other examples, including the Ohio Presidential Trail and the Presidential Walking Trail near Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. The trails are being considered as community-led commemorative initiatives that could be delivered in partnership with the local authorities. This would be with support from my Department through the annual local authority commemorations grant funding. A draft proposal for the American Presidents’ trail will shortly be shared with the newly formed commemorations advisory committee, which provides independent and expert advice to the State on commemorative matters.”
“In the programme for Government, the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence was identified as an event that could be marked appropriately. This acknowledges Ireland’s unique connection to the story. The anniversary will be led on two levels. On the international front, the commemorative programme will be led by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. My Department has been given the responsibility to lead on the programme of national events for America250. Given the contribution of people from the Ulster-Scots tradition on the island to American independence, there is much that can be done on a North-South basis. I have had a number of good conversations with my counterpart Minister, Gordon Lyons MLA, in this regard. The American Presidents’ trail is an initiative that is being considered for inclusion.”
“It has met me on a number of occasions and it has a good relationship with the Department. I have outlined the schemes that we have in situ already. The Independent Broadcasters of Ireland is working with and very supportive of those schemes. I hope to be in a position to expand those schemes over the lifetime of the Government with the programme for Government.”