Mr. Feargal Ó Coigligh:

It relates to the funding of the arts. Section 24 states that the council may "for the purposes of (a) stimulating public interest in the arts [and so on] advance such amount of moneys as it determines to such persons or in respect of such activities." The section is entitled "Funding of the Arts". It is the section of the Arts Act that gives the Arts Council its function to provide grants and to make funding decisions. That is the function of the Arts Council in respect of which the Minister is prohibited in issuing directions.