Professor Kevin Rafter:

The Senator is entirely correct about wage levels. The Arts Council's strategic plan, Making Great Art Work, refers to supporting artists through their careers and to fair and equitable payment for the work they do. This issue has obviously been in the public domain recently. It is an issue that I, as chairman of Culture Ireland, heard about and discussed with individual artists. As already stated, it must be addressed. Aosdána is in place for creative artists and the members receive a stipend of approximately €17,000 per year. However, there are gaps, particularly in the performing arts area. Somebody could be working for a number of months and he or she might be on television so one might think the person is doing very well, but then there is no work for the rest of the year. That is a gap. It is something that, as incoming chairman of the Arts Council, I would like to discuss. I have discussed it with the director already. It is something we should be and will be examining.

The Senator is correct - it is about ensuring that in those periods when there is no work people can continue their practice, be that on the stage, on the screen or in the visual arts. I am aware that a report the Senator published a number of years ago raised some of these issues. I put two issues in my opening statement. One is about the role of the artist, from performing artist to creative artist, and the second is about public art so "Yes" is the answer. Obviously, if more money becomes available to the Arts Council, it will be in a position to do more things. The existing schemes can be expanded and new schemes can be considered.