| (Gaeilge thíos) Sinn Féin spokesperson for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht, Arts and Culture, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, and Seanad spokesperson Senator Fintan Warfield, today announced €36 million in additional funding specifically for measures to support the arts as part of Sinn Féin’s Alternative Budget 2024. Teachta Ó Snodaigh set out how this would be spent: “Sinn Féin is committed to delivering on the key ask of the National Campaign for the Arts of €150 million in funding for the Arts Council over the course of four years in government, which would mean an increase of €4.9 million in current funding in 2024, and the same increase each year thereafter. “A Sinn Féin Arts Minister would also begin work to address the lack of artists’ spaces by establishing an Arts Spaces Capital Programme, modelled on what Government already provides for sport, beginning with a €5 million capital allocation for 2024. This would be separate from the €5 million Irish Language Capital Programme and the €9 million increase to the Community Centre Investment Fund also proposed in our Alternative Budget. “Supporting the Arts requires an all-of-Government approach, and we see a central role for the Department of Education in particular delivering increased opportunities for children to engage with the arts and culture. As such, Sinn Féin would increase Creative Schools by 50% next year, and would begin work to restore the annual school libraries book fund of €10 per child starting with €3.1 million in 2024. “As part of our efforts to engage children in culture, Sinn Féin has also budgeted €18 million in new funding to roll out a Leisure Card of €130 each for all junior and senior infants as well as pupils in special classes and special schools, to pay for memberships of sport clubs, swimming lessons, dance classes or music groups among other activities. “Sinn Féin also recognises the need for specific investment in Traveller culture. We would ringfence €700,000 in new annual funding for Traveller Culture & Identity to finally deliver the actions promised under the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy 2017-2022. “To ensure the audiovisual arts continue to grow, we propose to increase Screen Ireland funding by €4.2 million (€3.5m of which capital), in line with the ask of Screen Producers Ireland. Further discussion is needed to develop a replacement for the regional uplift for Section 481 tax relief, and a Sinn Féin Government would call a stakeholder forum as a matter of priority to examine this as well as issues of workers rights and intellectual property in the sector. “Not included in the €36 million is the extra €10 million Sinn Féin would provide to TG4 in 2024 to deliver their strategic plan, the additional €1 million to the Irish language books sector, or the €1.7 million required to deliver on the strategic plan of An Taibhdhearc, our National Irish Language Theatre. These form part of a comprehensive €34 million package of Alternative Budget measures to support our national language and the Gaeltacht. “Also not included is the range of measures we have set out to protect and preserve our heritage, including €10 million capital to purchase the remainder of the historic Moore Street terrace to develop a 1916 Culture Quarter, in line with the vision of the Moore Street Trust, €2 million extra for the Heritage Council, €14 million extra to expand and restore national parks, and €1.5 million for a new programme of commemorations to replace the Decade of Centenaries. “Sinn Féin is committed to delivering on our promises for our artists, creatives, cultural workers, and protecting our unique heritage. This fully-costed Alternative Budget is yet another indication of how we would do things differently.” €36 million breise do na healaíona: Buiséad Malartach Shinn Féin 2024 – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD D’fhógair urlabhraí Gaeilge, Gaeltachta, Ealaíon agus Cultúir Shinn Féin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, maoiniú breise de luach €36 milliún inniu de bearta chun tacú leis na healaíona mar chuid de Bhuiséad Malartach Shinn Féin 2024. Leag an Teachta Ó Snodaigh amach an briseadh síos: “Tá Sinn Féin tiomanta i dtaobh príomhéileamh an Fheachtais Náisiúnta ar son na hEalaíona maoiniú €150 milliún don Chomhairle Ealaíon a chomhlíonadh thar ceithre bliain i rialtas, rud a chiallaíonn ardú €4.9 milliún i maoiniú reatha i 2024, agus an ardú céanna gach bliain ina dhiaidh sin. “Chuirfeadh Aire Ealaíon Shinn Féin tús leis an obair freisin chun dul i ngleic leis an easpa spásanna d’ealaíontóirí trí Clár Caipitil Ealaíon a bhunú, bunaithe ar an mhúnla ata in úsáid cheana féin don spóirt, ag tosú le €5 milliún sa bhliain 2024. Ní bhainfeadh sé seo lenár moltaí i gcomhar Clár Caipitil Gaeilge €5 milliún nó ardú €9 milliún i gCiste Infheistíochta na nIonaid Pobail atá sa Bhuiséad Malartach freisin. “Teastaíonn cur chuige uile-Rialtais chun tacú leis na healaíona, agus creideann muid go bhfuil ról lárnach ag an Roinn Oideachais go háirithe ag cruthú deiseanna nua do pháistí dul i dtaithí leis na healaíona agus an chultúr. Mar sin, d’ardodh Sinn Féin Scoileanna Ildánacha fá 50% an bhliain seo chugainn, agus chuirfeadh muid tús leis an obair chun an ciste leabharlanna scoile bliantúil €10 in aghaidh an pháiste a athbhunú ag tosú le €3.1 milliún i 2024. “I measc ár gcuid iarrachtaí chun páistí a tharraingt isteach i saol an chultúir, tá €18 milliún curtha ar leataobh ag Sinn Féin chun Cárta Fóillíochta €130 a chur ar fáil do gach naíonán beaga agus móra chomh maith le daltaí i ranganna agus scoileanna speisialta, chun íoc as ballraíocht i gclubanna spóirt, ranganna snámha, ranganna rince nó grúpaí ceoil i measc gníomhaíochtaí eile. “Aithníonn Sinn Féin an gá atá ann infheistíocht ar leith a dhéanamh i gcultúr an Lucht Siúil. Bheadh €700,000 ar leith i maoiniú bliantúil curtha ar fáil againn do Chultúr agus Féiniúlacht an Lucht Siúil chun na gníomhaíochtaí a bhí geallta de réir an Straitéis Náisiúnta maidir le hImeascadh an Lucht Siúil agus na Romach 2017-2022 faoi dheireadh. “Chun deis a thabhairt do na healaíona closamhairc, molaimid maoiniú Fís Éireann a ardú fá €4.2 milliún (€3.5m de caipitil), de réir éileamh Léiritheoir Físe Éireann. Teastaíonn níos mó plé faoi cad atá ag teastáil chun teacht in áit an ardú réigiúnach do faoiseamh canach Alt 481, agus tharraingneodh rialtas Shinn Féin fóram leaspháirtithe le chéile mar thosaíocht chun féachaint air seo agus ar chearta oibrithe agus maoin intleachtúil san éarnáil. “Níl san áireamh sa €36 milliún seo an €10 milliún breise a chuirfeadh Sinn Féin ar fáil do TG4 i 2024 chun a bplean straitéiseach a chur i bhfeidhm, an €1 milliún breise d’éarnáil na leabhar Gaeilge, nó an €1.7 milliún a theastaíonn ón Taibhdhearc (Amharclann Náisiúnta na Gaeilge) chun a bplean straitéiseach a chur i bhfeidhm. Is codanna iad seo den phacáiste cuimsitheach €34 milliún molta againn sa Bhuiséad Malartach chun tacú leis an dteanga náisiúnta agus an nGaeltacht. “Níl an réimse beartais leagtha amach againn chun ár n-oidhreacht a chosaint agus a chaomhnú san áireamh ach oiread, lena n-airítear €10 milliún caipitil chun an cuid atá fágtha de ardán stairiúil Sráid an Mhúraigh a cheannach chun é a fhorbairt mar Cheathrú Cultúir 1916 de réir fís Iontaobhas Shráid an Mhúraigh, €2 milliún breise don Chomhairle Oidhreachta, €14 milliún breise chun páirceanna náisiúnta a leathnú agus a athchóiriú, agus clár nua comórtha €1.5 milliún chun teacht in áit Deich mBliana na gCuimhneachán. ““Tá Sinn Féin tiomanta gníomhú de réir ár mbriathra ar son ealaíontóirí, cruthaitheoirí, oibrithe cultúir, agus chun ár n-oidhreacht aonarach a chosaint. Is léiriú eile é an Buiséad Malartach costáilte seo ar conas a dhéanfadh muid rudaí ar bhealach difriúil.” |
October 5, 2023
€36 million extra for the arts: Sinn Féin’s Alternative Budget 2024 – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD and Senator Fintan Warfield
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