Speech
Budget 2022 Speech by Minister Martin
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
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Last updated on
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Published on
Last updated on
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The French writer and philosopher Albert Camus once wrote that “without culture, and the relative freedom it implies, society, even when perfect, is but a jungle. This is why any authentic creation is a gift to the future.”
For many many months, many in the Arts have been bereft of creative opportunities, of their livelihoods. Equally, Tourism services were forced to shut up shop with the lockdown on international travel.
Above all, the devastation of the pandemic robbed us of some of our most cherished and unique Irish experiences: creativity; connectivity, community, our warm welcomes, conversations and our globally renowned hospitality.
Lockdowns, and survival took hold. The loss was especially felt in the Arts, Tourism and Sport communities, where creativity was stifled, muted, that Céad Míle Fáilte turned over to read Closed and our playing pitches also fell silent.
Thankfully there is now optimism among these sectors but they have been the last to return and we know the coming months will pose huge challenges.
This budget aims to ensure my sectors have the opportunity to recover and grow. The overall €1.197bn Department spend for next year will deliver not just new strands of spending, but capital funding, innovative ways to boost sectors as they recover and bold steps to strengthen them during the recovery.
In Tourism, a further €50m for strategic tourism businesses will help them drive a sustainable recovery. This funding will assist vulnerable tourism businesses to survive until Summer 2022 when it is expected that inbound tourism will recover. Eligible businesses include inbound tour operators, coach tourism operators, strategic tourism transport operators, tourism attractions, activity centres and accommodation. This Scheme is operated by Fáilte Ireland.
Funding will also provide for an increase of €35m in the Tourism Marketing Fund to help restore inbound tourism to Ireland and begin preparations on the Programme for Government commitment to deliver a themed year project, The Year of the Invitation, aimed at stimulating additional demand.
There is also an extra €27m for investment in domestic initiatives. This includes support for festivals, assistance in attracting and retaining staff in tourism and hospitality and investment in the digitisation of the sectors.
We are also hosting and organising a major American College Football Event here next year, the first in a five-year series. And Failte Ireland will also develop a register of short term and holiday lets as outlined in the Housing-for-All plan.
Another €36.5m in capital funding for tourism product development, will deliver new and enhanced visitor experiences in line with the National Development Plan 2021-2030.
I should also point out that the three-party coalition’s cumulative spending plans for next year allow for wider and crucial supports for Tourism. These include continuation of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme to April 2022, a major €90m package for the aviation industry which should complement marketing initiatives to attract overseas visitors, and the 9% VAT rate for hospitality which remains in place until September 2022. An extension of the Targeted Rates Waiver, including tourism businesses, until the end of 2021, will further support for this vital industry.
In addition to the measures announced, my Department has initiated the development of a new national tourism policy which will have sustainability as a core value. The development of this new policy gives us an opportunity to set out what type of tourism sector we want out to 2030 and beyond.
Total funding for the Arts & Culture sector in 2022 amounts to €346.5m representing just under 30% of the overall allocation for my Department’s Vote.
I am particularly pleased to be announcing €25m in funding for the pilot of the new Basic Income Guarantee Scheme for artists and arts workers. This will bring new life and support to the artists and those working in the Arts and Cultural Sector, after the very difficult circumstances they have endured over the last year and a half.
In addition, I am very pleased to maintain funding for the Arts Council for 2022 at the current record level of €130m. This continued level of investment empowers the Arts Council to help artists, arts workers and arts and play their part in the national recovery from the current crisis.
Significant support will continue to be provided for live entertainment in the amount of €25m building on the success of a very diverse suite of initiatives introduced this year in response to the devastating impact of the restrictions.
The audio-visual industry continues to be one of the success stories of the past 18 months , with internationally successful productions such as animated feature film ‘Wolfwalkers’ and TV Drama ‘Normal People’. I am pleased to increase Screen Ireland’s funding by a further €6.7m to €36.7m in 2022.
Finally, in terms of Arts & Culture, €5m is being allocated to support the 2022 Commemorative Programme, delivering rich and diverse programmes marking the significant centenaries arising in 2022 and €4m in funding will help deliver a suite of initiatives proposed by the Night Time Economy (NTE) Task Force
In media, I am delighted to secure €5.5m in funding for the establishment of the Media Commission in 2022. The funding will primarily be used to facilitate the formal establishment of the new Media Commission. This will enable the Commission to hire an Online Safety Commissioner, to begin work on key issues at an early stage after the enactment of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill in 2022.
Furthermore, TG4 is set to receive the largest ever increase with funding up €4.2m, bringing their annual funding for 2022 to €44.933m.
TG4 have an ambitious post-Covid Strategy; these extra funds will allow them to deliver on their plans to put news content and younger audiences centre stage. This of course also supports services, jobs and the Irish language in the Gaeltacht.
De réir ghealltanais an Chláir Rialtais, fuaireamar maoiniú breise €7m nó 9% d’earnáil na Gaeltachta agus na Gaeilge an bhliain seo chugainn. Tá áthas orm freisin go bhfuil leithdháileadh breise cistí ann do Scéimeanna Tacaíochta Teanga lasmuigh den Gaeltacht chomh maith le leithdháileadh breise do Chlár Tacaíochtaí Pobail agus Teanga na Roinne i réigiúin na Gaeltachta.
Overall, there will be a €85.6m funding allocation for Gaeltacht and Irish language sector. This includes a range of supports for agencies and language schemes, plus increased supports for agencies and bodies.
The Minister of State will outline more on this shortly and for Sport.
I believe a new era in creativity and tourism among areas will spring from this pandemic. Pent up demand from audiences and a strong desire to again travel, see and enjoy that which we missed so much before will help our arts flourish once more and our tourism services thrive. But it may not happen overnight. And that is why sustained support matters.
Living without our treasured arts and our warm traditional hospitality and community spirit during the lockdown was indeed like being lost in a soulless jungle, as Albert Camus observed, devoid of inspiration and human contact. I want to see our sectors working together more than ever, as we set about laying the foundations for a post-pandemic renaissance for our sectors.
Is infheistíocht sa todhchaí í an athbheochan sin i gcruthaitheacht, i bhfáilteachas na hÉireann, i bpobal Gaeltachta, i bhfoirne spóirt agus sna meáin éagsúla, do na glúnta atá le teacht.
Go raibh maith agaibh.