Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am not a member of the committee, but I want to make a brief contribution. Mr. Dorgan has been in my Roscommon constituency at the Douglas Hyde summer school while Ms Hynes has strong connections with the county also. Of course, I know Mr. King from the radio. I spent 20 years in local radio at Shannonside Northern Sound, which Deputy Niamh Smyth will know very well. I produced and presented a variety of programmes and note to Senator Warfield that I often played good ballad music down through that time. What struck me during those years while making documentaries and so on was the extent of hidden artistic talent that is out there.

We have major debates about depression and people's lives being turned upside down, bun ós cionn. If the Government were really to come on board and properly support and finance the arts, it would be beneficial on several fronts. We have an able Deputy in our own party to speak about that. I thank the Chairman for allowing me to make that short contribution. I would be interested in promoting the initiative, producing it and working with the delegates. The arts represents a very much untapped area. Those of us who support the arts, locally or otherwise, can see the talent that exists. I thank the Chairman for giving me a few minutes to speak on this.