Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Chairman, some festivals are national institutions. No matter what Minister is in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, if he or she were not seen to support these festivals there would be blue murder. There are some festivals that make a significant contribution to the economy but might not be as well known as the household names, and they are at a major disadvantage. The household names have the Department where they want them. What will happen on the day somebody cuts their funding or the day a festival that has been running for 50 years is asked to wash its face? The Minister knows as well as I do what would happen. I am asking for a level playing field. At some stage, 50 years after they were founded, might some of the festivals be asked whether they can do this on their own?