Ms Rynagh O'Grady:

I will be brief. Senator O'Donnell brought together two things, namely, us discussing the status of the artist and what would we do if we were Minister. I wish to make some quick points. The recognition of professional artists is essential. Mr. David Kavanagh is right when he states anyone can practise by sitting down to write a book or whatever he or she chooses to do. However, if one wishes to be an actor, I recommend that one be a member of Equity, and to be a member of Equity, one must have trained. That makes the difference between the amateurs and the professionals who have put three or four years into training to develop the skill.

Were I the Minister, the idea of drawing up a manifesto would be essential. Artists in Ireland must be protected and I believe we must be nurtured. It is vital and essential to have a social welfare system that recognises our professional status and that is worked in some way which recognises that our work is irregular, that enables us to live and even to go to classes to do things and to continue to hone our skills. Issues such as housing and health care, which are dealt with in Scandinavian countries and in France, are not even dreamt of by Irish artists. The number of things we can put together is unending, if the object is to put artists at the centre of how we develop. An ongoing issue is that artists are not consulted. That is where the Association of Artists Representative Organisation, AARO, came from. How many practitioners does one see on the Arts Council, on the Irish Film Board on the authority-----