Tourism, Creative Ireland and Gaeltacht projects to be supported under the Government’s Shared Island Initiative

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, and Minister of State, Jack Chamber, today welcomed the announcement of the latest round of projects to be supported by the Government’s Shared Island initiative. The projects being developed include three from across the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with investment of over €15m.

These are:

Tourism: €7.6m for a new all-island tourism brand collaboration and marketing initiative to be administered by the Tourism agencies on a cross-border basis. The vision of the proposal is to connect the Causeway Coastal Route and the Wild Atlantic Way in the North West in such a way that the visitor is motivated to stay longer and spend more thereby bringing greater economic benefit to the region.  The two routes are already internationally known, but there is great opportunity to bring these two assets together to improve the overall performance of tourism to the island of Ireland and create international marketing standout. The project will also bring benefits to areas that are in the hinterland of these two routes bringing new opportunities to these areas to create lasting economic benefits.

Creative Ireland: €6m for a Shared Island dimension to the Government’s Creative Ireland Programme 2023-2027. The initiative will seek to deploy creativity on a shared island basis to:

• increase opportunities for cross-community cultural and creative initiatives between children and young people;
• support local authorities to enhance networks of creativity in support of vibrant and inclusive people-to-people and community-to-community partnerships;
• position Ireland as a global leader in demonstrating the value of creativity and mental wellbeing, and
• deepen collaborations for a more environmentally and socially sustainable island.

Gaeltacht: €2m for new cross-border Irish language and Ulster-Scots language, culture and heritage projects, including funding for the development of community-run facilities and cross-community cultural events. This will complement and build on broader support by Government for the Irish language on an all-island basis through Foras na Gaeilge and in Northern Ireland, as part of commitments under the New Decade New Approach, and support for the Ulster-Scots language, culture and heritage through increasing awareness across the island.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister Martin said:

“These proposals will help both to deliver very worthwhile projects but also help to foster increased North-South cooperation. The tourism project will enhance the already strong cooperation that exits in the sector on the island, with particular benefits for the North West. The Creative Ireland projects will provide welcome opportunities for communities North and South to work together on cultural and creative initiatives. I am delighted that there will be a focus on young people in these projects too.”

Minister of State Jack Chambers, added:

“This additional investment recognising the importance of the Irish language as well as Ulster Scots is a very positive step towards further development of a shared understanding of our cultures and traditions. This will be enhanced by cross-cultural exchanges. I look forward to continued cooperation on language and culture on an all-island basis in the years to come.”

Tionscadail maidir leis an Turasóireacht, Éire Ildánach agus an Ghaeltacht le tacaíocht a fháil faoi Thionscnamh Oileán Comhroinnte an Rialtais

Chuir Catherine Martin, an tAire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán agus Jack Chambers, an tAire Stáit Spóirt agus Gaeltachta, fáilte inniu roimh an bhfógra ar an mbabhta is déanaí de na tionscadail atá le tacaíocht a fháil ón tionscnamh Oileán Comhroinnte an Rialtais.

Ar na tionscadail atá á bhforbairt, tá trí cinn as an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán, a bhfuil infheistíocht níos mó ná €15m ar fáil dóibh.

Is iad seo a leanas na tionscadail sin:

Turasóireacht: €7.6m ar fáil do chomhoibriú nua branda turasóireachta uile-oileáin agus tionscnamh margaíochta atá le riaradh ag na gníomhaireachtaí Turasóireachta ar bhonn trasteorann.

Is éard is fís an togra ná Bealach Cósta Chlochán an Aifir a cheangal le Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin san Iarthuaisceart ar bhealach lena spreagtar an cuairteoir fanacht níos faide agus níos mó airgid a chaitheamh chun tairbhe eacnamaíochta níos fearr a chur ar fáil don réigiún.

Tá clú idirnáisiúnta ar an dá bhealach cheana féin, ach tá deis iontach ann an dá áis seo a thabhairt le chéile chun feabhas a chur ar fheidhmiú iomlán na turasóireachta chuig oileán na hÉireann agus chun margadh idirnáisiúnta, a sheasfaidh amach, a chur ar fáil. Bainfidh ceantair atá i gcúlchríocha ar an dá bhealach sin tairbhe as an tionscal freisin agus leis sin cuirfear deiseanna nua ar fáil do na ceantair trína gcruthófar tairbhí buana eacnamaíochta.

Éire Ildánach: €6m chun gné Oileán Comhroinnte a chur le Clár Éire Ildánach an Rialtais do na blianta 2023-2027.

Iarrfar sa tionscnamh úsáid a bhaint as cruthaitheacht ar bhonn oileán comhroinnte chun na nithe seo a leanas a dhéanamh:

• níos mó deiseanna do thionscnaimh thrasphobail chultúir agus chruthaitheacha a chur ar fáil do leanaí agus do dhaoine óga;
• tacú le húdaráis áitiúla feabhas a chur ar líonraí cruthaitheachta ar mhaithe le comhpháirtíochtaí fuinniúla agus ionchuimsitheacha idir daoine agus idir pobail;
• Éire a cheapadh ina ceannaire domhanda ó thaobh luach na cruthaitheachta agus na folláine meabhraí a léiriú, agus
• comhoibriú a neartú chun oileán atá níos inbhuanaithe ó thaobh an chomhshaoil agus na sochaí a bhaint amach.

Gaeltacht: €2M ar fáil do thionscadail nua cultúir agus oidhreachta na Gaeilge agus na hUltaise, lena n-áirítear maoiniú chun saoráidí faoi stiúir an phobail agus imeachtaí cultúir trasphobail a fhorbairt.

Forbróidh sé sin agus cuirfidh sé le tacaíocht níos leithne ón Rialtas don Ghaeilge ar bhonn uile-oileáin trí Fhoras na Gaeilge agus i dTuaisceart Éireann, mar chuid de na gealltanais faoi Dheich mBliana Nua, Cur Chuige Nua, agus tacaíocht do theanga, cultúr agus oidhreacht na hUltaise trí fheasacht a ardú ar fud an oileáin.

Agus fáilte á cur aige roimh an bhfógra, dúirt an tAire Martin:

“Leis na tograí seo, cuideofar tionscadail thar a bheith fiúntach a chur ar fáil ach chomh maith leis sin cuideofar le comhoibriú Thuaidh/Theas níos mó a chothú. Leis an tionscadal turasóireachta, feabhsófar an comhoibriú láidir atá ann cheana féin san earnáil ar an oileán agus bainfear tairbhí ar leith amach san Iarthuaisceart. Beidh fáilte roimh na deiseanna a chuirfear ar fáil sna tionscadail Éire Ildánach do phobail ó Thuaidh agus ó Dheas chun obair a dhéanamh le chéile ar thionscnaimh chultúir agus chruthaitheacha. Tá ríméad orm go mbeidh béim ar dhaoine óga sna tionscadail seo freisin.”

Dúirt an tAire Stáit Jack Chambers freisin:

“Is céim an-dhearfach í an infheistíocht bhreise seo lena dtugtar aitheantas don tábhacht atá leis an nGaeilge chomh maith leis an Ultais i dtreo tuilleadh forbartha ar thuiscint chomhroinnte ar ár gcultúir agus traidisiúin. Feabhsófar an méid sin trí mhalartuithe traschultúrtha. Tá mé ag tnúth le comhoibriú leanúnach maidir leis an teanga agus an cultúr ar bhonn uile-oileáin sna blianta atá amach romhainn.”