Mr. Feargal Cavanagh:

I have a short tract left to read and then I will be finished. All our local community musical societies strive to bring to the stage musical theatre productions of the very best quality, and so it would greatly help if dedicated funding could be ring-fenced to provide reliable, consistent funding to provide a less precarious path for societies. We are aware that just this year a new scheme has come through the local council. It is called the community recognition fund and it is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development. We are not sure how many councils have implemented this funding programme, nor do we know if it is going to be available next year. We also do not know if an equivalent funding programme is available for urban-based musical theatre societies.

Today, I have the great honour of addressing the committee as the national president of AIMS. My job and the job of all involved in AIMS is to continue the development and enhancement of local and community musical theatre throughout the country. I hope that this committee can bring forward a programme for local and community arts which will support our member societies in their work to bring the highest standard of musical theatre within their local community society and throughout the country.