Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Ms Pratschke and wish her well in her new position which I anticipate that she will accept.

I shall make a few points for which I hope to get feedback. The past few years here have been very important and somewhat revolutionary from an arts point of view. The arts have reached out to the four corners of the country through the advent and construction of many arts venues, art spaces and theatres rather than being confined to cities. A lot of that work has been done under the stewardship of the Arts Council which worked in conjunction with local authorities to get venues that would match and fit the needs of a place. That move is welcome. Sports have been well catered for around the country so much so that nobody can contemplate a time when one did not have a football pitch. However, it is not seen as essential to have a venue for people to express themselves culturally even though such activities are the lifeblood of any community. The Arts Council receives taxpayers' money so outreach activities in communities should be to the fore. People should be able to see and feel the relevance of the arts in their lives, not something just for an elite group of people notwithstanding how accomplished they are. That is the measure and value that should be applied to taxpayers' money that is spent on the arts.

I have a particular concern about the way funding is spent. There are now many venues around the country which provide a platform for local young talent, regardless of their background or financial background, to develop and have access to professional artists. Also, there are venues for professional artists to attend. Unfortunately the venues are not so well funded by the Arts Council. Traditional iconic venues absorb most of its funding and smaller arts centres must limp on with some funding from local authorities. The Arts Council encouraged smaller venues to build and expand yet community arts does not get the same priority or recognition. It is essential that they do. When funding is being distributed it is important to be mindful of their value. I suggest that a cost benefit analysis is carried out. It would ascertain how people are being reached out to and how relevant the arts is in every part of this country. That should be the measure of success for the Arts Council, the Minister and anybody involved in arts. Promoting the arts is about bringing the talent and expertise that exists in cities to a wider audience. The arts is not just for one group and I would welcome feedback on the issue.