Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is an important factor that needs to be taken into consideration. Which does one give priority to? If one is programming something, can the Irish language be given a greater priority among those institutions? Can the Arts Council say in its policy that an institution is a national one but it also wants to ensure that Irish language is close to the top of its agenda?

In terms of the value for money of artists in the community, many individual artists say to me that they struggle on a very meagre income. How do we support artists who are creating art in the community if they are not connected with an institution, as such, or an organisation that is getting funding? I concur with all that has been said about funding through local authorities.

When the previous Minister, Deputy Deenihan, was Minister he made many trips around the country, including to Galway. It was said there that we undervalue the role of the artist in opening up minds and thoughts in other institutions of the State. The suggestion was made that an artist should be appointed to every State board, if only to include critical thinking and creative thinking in the decisions made at corporate level. In one sense we are corporatising the arts or measuring the arts using a corporate stick so perhaps we could influence the corporations as well and the semi-State bodies that think very corporately with the arts. It might bring a little bit of creative thinking by appointing artists to State boards. I am not sure if that is within the remit of the group before us but I welcome their contributions.