2025-12-11

I think this is the third time this week that I have risen to talk about support for arts and cultural spaces, not only here in Dublin but across the country. Since I came into the Houses five years ago, and I am sure Deputy Boyd Barrett is the exact same, I have spoken out about the closure of arts spaces and studios, particularly here in Dublin, because the reality is that culture cannot compete with capitalism. We have seen a hollowing out of arts and culture spaces across our city over the past two decades. We have counted over 52 spaces that have been forced to close. The reality is that there is a lack of State support for these vital spaces that are intrinsic to the cultural fabric of our communities and our city. While the context for my question is about The Complex in Dublin 7, the heart of my constituency, a really important multidisciplinary space home to art studios and an arts or performance space, and the plea for help to keep that space open, there is a wider context as to how State policy supports these facilities across the country. I said earlier to Deputy O'Donovan, the Minister with responsibility in this area, that he has made some very positive noises about wanting to support the development of arts spaces across the country, but I also note he talks about developing a scheme along the lines of the sports capital grants. That is great in some ways, but the reality, as any of us here in Dublin know, is that you need to be able to own the building or have a long-term lease on it in order to be able to access funding. The State needs to do more than that. It needs to step in and either ensure cultural mortgages or purchase or co-purchase of buildings with arts organisations.

I am a little disappointed we do not have the arts Minister in the House. With all due respect to Deputy Buttimer, he is a Minister of State at a Department that has nothing to do with this. Our identity as a country, our history and our heritage are totally tied up with culture and the arts. Probably more than most countries, our identity and reputation internationally are linked to the arts and music. We have an amazing pool of artists, poets, writers, musicians and dancers. You can go through the list. Nowhere exemplifies that more than an institution such as The Complex, which has been in the north inner city for 17 years. The north inner city, and the northside of Dublin city generally, does not have much by way of arts venues. As has been referenced by Deputy Sherlock, many of these spaces have closed down. There are 30 artists in residence in The Complex. Hundreds of musicians, artists and so on use it. There have been 180 events just this year in The Complex. There are staff and hundreds of people whose employment is linked to The Complex. They are going to be evicted and effectively closed down in early January for the want of €6 million. The Complex does not even need that money immediately. It will need it over four years. It needs a commitment from the Government to save this venue. That is a small amount of money for a Government that has a big budget surplus. The Complex is looking for a commitment. It does not want a game of pass-the-parcel between the Department of arts, the Department of Finance and the Office of Public Works, OPW. It wants a commitment to work with the other agencies, including Dublin City Council, the Department of arts and the other relevant Departments. It engaged with the former Deputy, Paschal Donohoe, when he was Minister for Finance, and the Minister for public expenditure, Deputy Chambers, and believed it was going to get the help it needed, but it is now facing D-day. A crisis meeting is happening tonight. It has huge local support. I ask the Minister of State to please intervene and save The Complex.

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí Sherlock agus Boyd Barrett as an ábhar tábhachtach seo a thabhairt chun cinn. I agree with Members that our identity and reputation are so inextricably linked. I am taking this matter on the behalf of the Minister, as the Deputies know. This Government places great value on culture and the arts sector. As outlined in the programme for Government, we recognise that they are essential to a well-rounded society, providing opportunities for education, expression and community engagement. As the Deputies are aware, The Complex is a multidisciplinary arts and creative venue in Dublin's north inner city, governed by a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. The Complex has been leasing its building, a former fruit warehouse off Capel Street, from a private landlord on a site ring-fenced for redevelopment. It is my understanding that the centre has been in negotiations with the developer for a partnership in which The Complex would be given the opportunity to buy back two floors. The Complex CLG has, in principle, secured a loan of €1.5 million towards the purchase. I understand that The Complex has stated that talks took place with the Department of Finance, the Department of public expenditure and reform and Dublin City Council to assist with the finance of this offer, after an initial business case was undertaken by Forvis Mazars. However, as Members will be aware, the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport was not part of this engagement. The Department provides grants as a contribution towards maintaining and enhancing existing arts and culture facilities but does not provide funding for the purchase of any property. The provision of local arts and cultural infrastructure is, as Deputy Sherlock heard this morning, a matter in the first instance for local authorities. Officials from the Department met with the chair of The Complex and other members of the team in December 2024 and advised them of this position. Further communication in June 2025 reiterated that position. In any event, no funding was sought from this Department for the purchase of the building by The Complex. I am informed that any grant for refurbishment support would require chargeable title to be in place. It is my information that at present, The Complex has been given notice to quit in January 2026. As we have heard and as the Deputies have articulated quite eloquently, I am sure that this is a matter of huge distress not just for the staff and the board but for all of the artists who use The Complex on a regular basis and others. While I understand that negotiations are still ongoing with the developer, I am informed that the CEO, Ms Vanessa Fielding, has written to the Department advising that they will be looking for a meaningful space to move into should there not be a positive outcome to those discussions. While the Department does not own any properties and is, therefore, not in a position to assist The Complex in this regard, it is my hope that Dublin City Council may be able to assist in this matter. The Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, is acutely aware of the pressures that artists and creatives face in finding suitable workplaces and workspaces, especially here in our capital city. The lack of space has been a significant barrier for artists, limiting their ability to create and exhibit work. The Department recognises that local authorities can play a vital role in delivering the infrastructure necessary to provide a number of artists' workspaces nationwide. That was why, in 2023, the Department allocated €3 million in funding to Space to Create, an initiative that aims to provide up to 60 artist workspaces in Dublin city, in partnership with Dublin City Council. In addition, the Department launched the artist workspaces scheme in June 2024. That is a €6 million pilot capital funding scheme for local authorities to increase the provision of artists' workspaces across Ireland. The primary focus of this pilot scheme is to provide funding to local authorities to enable them to provide additional capacity and availability of artist workspaces in their regions on a sustainable basis. Local authorities are invited to propose projects which can accommodate and address the demand for artist workspaces in their regions and produce workspaces that are fit for purpose, design-focused and accessible. I hear what the Members are saying. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister and will articulate their views to him. I understand that the reply does not give them the answer they desire but I am aware that, as the Deputies know, the Department is genuinely looking for a satisfactory resolution. I hope there will be resolution. Mar fhocal scoir, gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí as ucht an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a chur chun cinn.

What screams back at me from this reply from the Department is that there are no ideas about how to support and secure the future of a place such as The Complex. There is a fobbing off or passing the buck to the local authority. A capital scheme was referenced in the reply. Anybody who has any notion about any of our communities across the country would know that €300,000 was totally insufficient to allow any local authority to go and purchase space. There is certainly great frustration on my part. The Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, says he wants to develop arts spaces across the country but we see zero ideas coming forward and a pushing back to the local authority. The reality is that a bespoke solution would need to be found for The Complex, but we are not even hearing a willingness on the part of the Department to engage on the issue.

For the Department of arts to wash its hands of a vibrant and vital artistic and cultural space, home to hundreds of artists, is crazy. Whatever about the finer points of demarcation between the OPW, the Department of Finance and local authorities, for the Department of arts to be indifferent or to say, "It is nothing to do with us" is not good enough. It needs to be banging heads together. A crisis meeting is happening this evening in The Complex for artists and people from the local community. A marathon gig is planned for 17, 18 and 19 December, with 45 bands and performers. The Complex has 15,000 signatures behind it. This is a huge hit for the local, artistic, musical and theatrical communities. All that is required is a commitment of €6 million over four years. That is buttons compared with the surpluses and the money that is available to the Government. We can save this vital space. If we are serious about a commitment to arts and culture, this is a very small amount of money to save a lot of artists and to do something for the north inner city and that community.

I hear what the Deputies are saying and will bring their contributions back to the Minister and the Department. It is fair to say that the Minister is supportive of investment in physical infrastructure for cultural and arts venues at a regional level and in regional locations to ensure support for vibrant local cultural life with high-quality programming. The Department has an extensive grant programme as a contribution to maintaining and enhancing arts and culture. However, as Deputy Sherlock heard this morning, it does not provide funding for the purchase of buildings. Perhaps that is a matter that needs to be considered in the wider context. The Minister strengthened funding for arts capital in the budget and a €6 million allocation has been made available for a new funding programme for arts and cultural centres that he plans to launch next year. As previously stated, the Minister is acutely aware of the pressure that artists and creatives face in finding suitable workspaces, in particular here in our capital city. I agree that the lack of space has been a significant barrier and is a source of frustration as it limits the ability to create and exhibit work, in particular. The Department has two schemes to support local authorities across the country to provide for additional capacity and availability of artists' workspaces in the regions on a sustainable basis. In this instance, I am informed that the Department is not in a position to provide funding for the purchase of the property that has been mentioned. It is important, as Deputy Boyd Barrett said, that arising from tonight's meeting there is ongoing negotiation and consultation. I will bring the Deputies' views back to the Department and I thank them for raising the matter.