Questions

699. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the funding the Olympic Council of Ireland receive annually and whether consideration has been given to increasing this figure substantially to ensure Ireland can be represented in as many competitive sports in the forthcoming Olympic Games, in the 2028 and 2032 Olympics in Los Angeles and Brisbane respectively; and if he will make…

700. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for the cost of implementing a night tzar to each county local authority to look after the interests of those involved in the night-time economy. [29035/25]

701. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when he last met with the Director of the National Gallery of Ireland and the issues that they discussed. [29369/25]

702. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will take into consideration the major importance of short-term letting to the tourism industry in Kerry; if he will oppose the proposed planning clampdown as it will have devastating financial consequences on Kerry tourism, local businesses and families that depend on this yearly income; and if he will make a statement on the m…

703. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if participants on the basic income for artists pilot scheme will be eligible to participate in the follow-on scheme; to provide a timeframe for when he expects to have a follow-on scheme in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29457/25]

704. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the three-year basic income for artists pilot scheme is due to end in August 2025, despite having commenced in October 2022; if the participating artists have been informed of this anomaly and supported to plan for their financial stability upon its conclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29458/25]

705. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if the new State commemorations committee will include any member with experience of the labour or trade union movement or its history; if this was considered when appointing members; if not, whether he will rectify same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29485/25]

706. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if his attention has been drawn to concerns related to the poor availability of high-speed broadband an area (details supplied); the actions he will take to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29524/25]

707. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when he expects the new director of the Arts Council to be appointed. [29726/25]

708. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when he was informed that RTÉ had a significant overspend and impairment on a CMS IT project. [29745/25]

709. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the reason he exercised his power under the Arts Act 2004 to refuse to consent to the proposal by the Arts Council for the reappointment of its Director; if he disagreed with the business case submitted in support of the proposal; if so, the nature of the disagreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29760/25]

710. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the reason for delay in the provision of sports capital equipment funding for a club (details supplied) and when funding will be provided. [29834/25]

711. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to engage with various Ministers to provide a once off stand alone grant to a sports and leisure complex in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29905/25]

712. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the measures being taken to support the arts and artists in County Kerry; the plans he has to promote and support the arts and artists in the county going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29958/25]

713. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the measures his Department is taking to introduce more protection to children when they are using online media; if her Department is investigating a social media ban for under-16s; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30000/25]

714. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will consider extending the payments to the artists who are already receiving under the pilot basic income for the arts scheme, to the end of December 2025 as part of his overall review; if a decision on this will be reached before August; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30001/25]

715. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the plans his Department have to effectively promote and successfully implement copper switch off; whether his Department has, or is working on, an implementation plan for same; when this roadmap plan will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30040/25]

716. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if there is any existing or any upcoming plan for an indicative timeframe from his Department for the approval of the submitted documentation for the Capital Sports Grant for an applicant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30090/25]

717. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will be announcing a sports capital grant application scheme this year; if so, when applications will open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30093/25]

718. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the funding stream whence the recent €25,000 allocation to the Listowel Writer’s Week Literary Festival came; if this funding opportunity was advertised and available to other arts festivals throughout the State; and if he will outline the application process and how funding allocations were decided. [30175/25]

719. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will work with the Minister for Social Protection, to consider the precarious nature of work in the film and television industry and find ways in which his Department and the Department of Social Protection can respond quickly and effectively to support freelance and creative workers who experience genuinely unexpected emp…

720. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to support the sustainability of post offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30207/25]

721. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the number of WTE qualified historians by grade employed by his Department in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30295/25]

722. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when fibre broadband will be available in Ardnacrusha County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30356/25]

723. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to detail the actual draw down of funds by successful applicants for the sports capital grant in County Carlow and County Kilkenny in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; to list the projects and amounts, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30466/25]