693. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the budget and number of staff working in her Department in each of the years 2014 to 2018 and to date in 2019, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51562/19]

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. For completeness, I am informed that my Department recruits approximately 70 additional seasonal staff annually to cover busy periods in the National Parks.

*This figure excludes funding for the National Gallery of Ireland, which was a separate Vote in 2014.

** Further Revised Estimate following transfer in of functions relating to Regional and Rural staff.

*** Further Revised Estimate following transfer out of functions relating to Regional and Rural staff.

The transfer of regional and rural affairs functions from the former Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to the newly formed Department of Rural and Community Development came into effect from 27 July 2017. The Department was re-named the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht with effect from 1 August 2017. Accordingly, the figures for 2016 and 2017 represent further Revised Estimates following the transfer in and out of functions relating to Regional and Rural Staff in the years in question.