From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
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The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, and the Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, Thomas Byrne, today (2 October) announced details of €1,271,989,000 in funding allocated to the department in Budget 2025 which will see increases across all areas with a total 6% rise across the department.
Funding for 2025 is increasing for all areas under the department while supports for agencies in sectors continue to grow. This follows record funding in recent years which saw the overall budget for the department since 2019 increasing by 58%. Budget 2025 will enable backing for new strategies and schemes in Tourism and Media, while additional funds will help further grow the Arts, the Gaeltacht and Sport.
Minister Catherine Martin said:
“My department oversees sectors that have a tremendous impact across the whole of society. These areas have seen massive growth in recent years, and with that growth have come massive challenges. Throughout my term as Minister, it has been a priority of mine to ensure that these challenges can be responded to, by building resilience, embedding sustainability, and ensuring that we have capacity across the board.
“Budget 2025 maintains and increases funding across a wide range of key initiatives. For artists and arts workers, we have retained the world-leading Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme with a further allocation of €35 million for 2025. While a government decision will be required on the future of the scheme when this three-year pilot comes to an end in 2025, I have made my own views on the importance of retaining and expanding the scheme very clear. The Arts Council will receive record funding again in 2025, increased now to €140 million, and support continues for Culture Ireland and Creative Ireland.
“The new 8% uplift under Section 481 for feature film productions with budgets of up to €20 million is very good news for the industry and sends out a strong international message that aligns with and bolsters our infrastructure, facilities, experienced crews, creative talent and beautiful scenery. The separate new tax credit for unscripted productions, which is subject to European Commission approval is also welcomed. The credit will be available at a rate of 20% on qualifying expenditure of up to €15 million and projects will be required to pass a cultural test.
“Ireland’s visual effects (VFX) sector is highly regarded internationally. I welcome Minister Chambers’ signal that his department will examine opportunities for incentives for its growth over the coming year.
“The tourism sector has been through severe challenges in recent years, and funding of over €226 million in 2025 will build and sustain core capacity in the industry. This allocation will support the work of Fáilte Ireland on enhancing the tourist experience and assisting tourism businesses in Ireland through work in areas such as festivals, digital transformation, and sustainability. It will also assist Tourism Ireland in marketing Ireland overseas as a compelling visitor destination. Tourism Ireland estimate that for every €1 invested in overseas marketing, about €25 comes back to the economy from overseas visitors’ spend on the ground in Ireland.
“These measures are coupled with the new €170 million Power Up Grant, announced by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and consisting of a flat grant of €4,000 for commercially rateable premises in the retail and hospitality sectors. This will support the hospitality sector to deal with increased energy costs in recent years, in particular electricity costs.
“The importance of supporting a healthy media sector is also reflected by the increased allocations I have secured in Budget 2025. In addition to the €4 million for new Media Fund schemes which was already agreed in the summer, €6 million will be provided for news and current affairs content, ring-fenced for the commercial radio and TV sector. This will be done through the Sound and Vision scheme and will be the first time news and current affairs are to be included. I will include the necessary legal underpinning for the change in legislation that I will bring to Government shortly, following which Coimisiún na Meán will develop the detailed Scheme. The measure will also be subject to State Aid approval by the European Commission.
“Budget 2025 also reaffirms our commitment to progressively support our public service broadcasters, RTÉ and TG4. TG4’s total funding has been increased to €60 million, a total increase of almost €23 million or 61% since I began my term in 2020. This will consolidate the provision of high quality Irish language content, including the continued development of Irish language children’s programming and film and drama production. It is also central to the successful delivery of the government’s 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030. The department will work with TG4 and Coimisiún na Meán to further realise its strategic plan over the coming years. As was previously announced, combined public funding of €225 million will be provided to RTÉ to enable it commence the roll-out of its new strategy and continue to serve Irish audiences with impartial news and current affairs, and high quality content across all genres.
“Since taking office as Minister, I have delivered significant increases in support for all of the sectors under the remit of my department, including for Culture and the Arts, as well as unprecedented funding for diversity and inclusion in Sport. I have also ensured that the Irish language, and the Gaeltacht as its beating heart, have been supported to levels never seen before – as demonstrated by the 48% increase in funding for the sector since 2020.
“Each of the measures announced today will continue to strengthen and support the sectors of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in 2025 and beyond.”
Minister Thomas Byrne said:
“Following a terrific summer of sport when so many of us were captivated by the performance of Team Ireland at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, we are already planning ahead for the LA Games in 2028. I am very glad to announce a €1.2 million increase in annual funding for our high-performance programme which builds on the record funding provided for the Paris Games as we continue to ramp up our support for our high performance athletes.
“As a government, we want to ensure that having a disability presents no obstacle to participating in sport and physical activity. In working to achieve this aim, the government is providing a new and dedicated ‘Disability in Sport’ funding stream to Sport Ireland, with €1 million being allocated. In addition, I expect Sport Ireland to soon advertise for a new ‘Disability in Sport Lead’, who will develop and promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in sport. I hope that this step change in funding and personnel will act as a catalyst for making our sporting community more inclusive.
“Our National Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Sports Partnerships do tremendous work across the sporting community, when it comes to increasing participation opportunities for all, and in developing our athletes. In order to support that valuable work, I can confirm that an additional €1.3 million in core funding is being provided by Government to support our National Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Sports Partnerships.
“The National Sports Campus in Blanchardstown is home to a diversity of sports and sport facilities and I can confirm that additional funds are being allocated under Budget 2025 to the campus for its maintenance and further development. We will also soon publish a new Sports Action Plan and funding will also be provided to support the realisation of its action points.
“Last week, we announced the largest-ever investment in sporting facilities, under the Community Sport Facilities Fund, and I expect to see allocations under the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund announced in the coming weeks. This government is committed to the success of Irish sport; from record investment in our sport facilities, to supporting the ambition of our high performance athletes like never before and fundamentally, to ensuring everyone enjoys the right to participate in sport and physical activity.
“In relation to the Gaeltacht and the Irish language, Budget 2024 saw us, for the first time ever, break the €100 million mark in funding. Budget 2025 sees a further increase to €107 million to support the sector. This increase will allow us to move forward with the delivery of both the Digital Plan for the Irish Language and the Strategy for the Language-based Arts, while also investing in the provision of youth services in the Gaeltacht in order to further strengthen the language planning process.
“At present, the Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill 2024 is making its way through the Houses of the Oireachtas and I can confirm that Údarás na Gaeltachta will receive increased funding of €1.9 million under Budget 2025, to further develop employment opportunities for the people of the Gaeltacht. This is fundamental in maintaining Irish as the spoken language of these communities."
The department’s Tourism Services programme aims to support the tourism industry to recover and grow in a sustainable way:
The department’s Arts and Culture programme aims to promote and develop Ireland’s world class artistic and creative strengths at home and abroad, maximising their societal and economic value for the country, and supporting Arts and the entertainment sector to develop and grow:
The aim of the department’s Gaeltacht programme is to support the Irish Language and to further strengthen its use as the principal community language of the Gaeltacht:
The department’s Sports and Recreation programme aims to contribute to a healthier and more active society by promoting sports participation and by supporting high performance and the provision of sports facilities:
The department aims to promote a sustainable and diverse Media and Broadcasting sector, and to progress online safety through an effective regulatory system and continued support for Coimisiún na Meán: