Fiach MacConghail (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Mortell for her presentation. She highlighted the biggest risk that exists, namely, the lack of philanthropic capital and indicated how we might progress the recommendations from the report of the Forum on Philanthropy and Fundraising. Will Ms Mortell be more specific? Perhaps she might pretend that this is the Dáil rather than the Seanad about the crisis we face. In that context, not only is One Foundation winding down its operations this year but many other philanthropies are also doing so. If she were Minister, what would Ms Mortell do about the crisis to which I refer? The Departments of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Environment, Community and Local Government have a number of philanthropic initiatives and these are mediated by the Department of Finance, I presume, through the annual Finance Bill.

Could I have the bottom line and a comment on the current legislative context? If Ms Mortell were the Minister, what would she deliver? What message could we send back?