SPENDING in the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht is to rise by 15 per cent, including increases in almost every section. With an overall budget of just under £128.3 million, it is now one of the bigger-spending Departments.
One of the largest increases is to be on consultants and advisers. This rises by 75 per cent, from £200,000 to £350,000.
A £10.2 million allocation for Teilifis na Gaeilge is slightly above the Government's previous commitment of £10 million.
A 22 per cent increase in current spending for Udaras na Gaeltachta (from £2.5 million to just over £3 million) is largely accounted for by a transfer of responsibility for Gaeltacht coops from the Department to the Udaras. Capital spending for the Gaeltacht authority increases by 11 per cent, to £12.25 million.
The allocation for the National Parks and Wildlife Service is £13.5 million, a 93 per cent increase. This is due to the forthcoming designation of large tracts of land as Special Areas of Conservation, in line with an EU directive.
Funding for the Heritage Council rises by 32 per cent, to £2.91 million.