Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, has outlined the funding that will be made available from his Department for the support and promotion of arts, culture, film and heritage for 2014. Minister Deenihan has also welcomed a number of new funding initiatives which will provide significant support for the Limerick National City of Culture 2014, for the Decade of Centenaries 1912 - 1922, and for Heritage Buildings at Risk.

Departmental funding: Funding from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for 2014 will include:

• Almost €123 million for Arts, Culture and Film, including almost €56m for the Arts Council and €14 million for the Irish Film Board;
• Almost €45 million for the conservation and protection of Ireland’s built and natural heritage;
• Almost €40 million for the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands; and,
• Over €38 million for North-South Co-Operation, including support for two North-South implementation bodies - Waterways Ireland and An Foras Teanga.
  
  Whilst there has been a reduction of approximately €16.9 million (7%) in exchequer funding to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for 2014, this has been offset by new funding for three jobs-rich initiatives totalling €17 million. These projects are to be funded from the National Lottery licence transaction, and include:
• €6 million for the Limerick National City of Culture 2014 - Limerick is the inaugural National City of Culture, a new designation which a city will hold for one calendar year, as announced by Minister Deenihan in 2012;
• €6 million for projects relating to the Decade of Centenaries 1912 - 1922 - this is to fund a number of projects including works at the GPO; and,
• €5 million for the Traditional Skills and Buildings at Risk Jobs Leverage Scheme 2014 - this will be directed at renovation projects for buildings which are protected.

Minister Deenihan commented:

On Budget 2014: "Just like in every Department, I have had to make difficult choices when it comes to 2014. However, this budget is a really important step to strengthening our economy, exiting the bailout and creating jobs."

On new additional funding: "The new funding of €17 million announced today is very significant. It will allow the inaugural Limerick National City of Culture 2014, which I announced last year, to put on an amazing array of events. It will allow us to move ahead with major building projects to mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising. And, it will give allow for urgent repairs on heritage buildings the length and breadth of the country to take place.

On jobs: "I have made provision for the refurbishment of the historic wings of the National Gallery of Ireland to proceed as planned. This will create approximately 270 high end construction jobs, many of which are specialist, over the timeline of the project.

"The new funding of €17 million will also deliver new jobs in a range of areas including in heritage building restoration, and in the construction sector arising from capital projects to mark the 1916 Rising. The funding will also support jobs in the arts and in cultural tourism in Limerick which will be Ireland's first National City of Culture next year."

To read the complete media release, see the external link below.

http://www.ahg.gov.ie/en/PressReleases/2013/October2013PressReleases/htmltext,17189,en.html