Mr. Michael Starrett:

I will ask Ms Kelly to pick up on the specifics of the questions. It is important to hear two directors of cultural institutions say the same thing. I agree with Ms Scarff that it has become very difficult to get a commitment to invest in people. Ms Kelly referred earlier to the vacancy in the Heritage Council. Investment in people has been very stringent in a number of sectors, perhaps for good reasons. It has had a very detrimental effect in this sector. Often recruitment will be sanctioned but will be no funds to pay additional staff. There is a real issue for members and Departments to overcome. We need money to invest in the fabric of our society. Getting revenue funding to invest in people, educational programmes and the non-building fabric of this country remains difficult. In terms of how the committee can help, it could work with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Finance to realise that investing in people is not costly in the long run. It brings benefits.

Ms Kelly mentioned that the council may not be able to run a grants programme. The board still has not finalised its budget for next year. This relates to a number of issues. From the Heritage Council's funding point of view, as referenced on the previous occasion we met the committee, since the crash and the 65% cut in its funding, the council has been dependent on receipt of money mid-year from the environment fund. Other heritage services are also dependent on that fund which is made up of the plastic bag tax. That funding has been diminishing and, as a result, we are supporting fewer meaningful programmes. This year we had anticipated a €750,000 allocation from the fund, which is approximately half what we got ten years ago, but I understand we are now to receive only €150,000. This shortfall has implications for the council in 2019 as well. This reliance on the environment fund for heritage services funding mid-year by not only the Heritage Council but the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the National Monuments Service needs to be addressed.