Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I was waiting and listening and very taken by what had been said. I thank all participants for their contributions.

I come from Galway east. People in that area - Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh has just left the meeting - often say we are the poor relation compared to Galway city when it comes to the arts. The delegates mentioned the Galway Arts Festival, but there was a Tuam Arts Festival which ran for one year and had to give up because it failed to secure funding. It died about five years ago because it totally lacked support. It goes back to the point about how one deals with smaller groups when the larger, successful groups have received funding. We do not want the Tuam or Loughrea arts festival to be like the Galway Arts Festival, but we want them to be able to do what they can in the right way with support. As a former councillor, my impression is that the Arts Council is in place for the big people and organisations and that the small or emerging artists are left to either make or break it on their own. There should be a change of emphasis in the percentage of funding we give out. I am not saying we should stop funding the bigger guys but that a larger percentage of the overall cake should be given to smaller and emerging artists on an ongoing basis because we do not want to have elite organisations and then nothing else. I am impressed by and very confident in the schools programme and all that goes on in that regard, but we need a shift such that people who are thinking about starting something in places such as Tuam, Loughea, Gort or any other small town will have a sense that help will be available and will have the confidence to take it on. As Deputy Michael Collins said, a lot of labour-intensive work goes into such initiatives.

Another issue in smaller places in which shows or something similar are put on is that there is no designated place to store sets or equipment in order to use them again. Groups are storing them in houses or sheds attached to private houses which, if they went on fire, they would have no insurance cover them. Public buildings are available which should be brought to the attention of the relevant local authority. For example, a new fire station is being built in Tuam. The old fire station building would be ideal for use as a storage area or workshop, but who will provide the small amount of funding needed to make it workable? These are the small things that would create a lot more around the country, as well as the schools and creative programme in which Ms Copeland is involved. However, there is confusion among those involved because one may have to deal with the Arts Council, the Department and the local authority. Why do we not have a one stop shop from which people could obtain advice and funding forms in order that they would be talking to one voice rather than having a fragmented approach? That is why I expressed concern about the Creative Ireland initiative, which involves the Department and Creative Ireland. There is confusion about the initiative among those who want to start something, although perhaps not for me having listened to the delegates.

I commend them on all of the work being done, but like everything else, improvements could be made, as we need to improve matters. I know that they are passionate about what they do, which has come through in the presentations. I will not put questions to them. I thank them for their presentations and wish them well in their future work.