Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will move to questions from Deputies on programme B, which is arts and culture. I compliment the Minister on the significant investment in, and advancement of, the Arts Council, which was needed prior to the pandemic. Funding increased to a historic €130 million and that has been very useful and helpful to the Arts Council in supporting artists who have seen 15 or 18 months of their work schedule wiped out. For the future, I encourage the Minister to ensure that supports not only remain but are enhanced in any way possible for organisations like the Arts Council because the artists it is supporting have no other forms of income. It is their umbrella organisation, their peace and security, their stability and their future. It is critical that the Arts Council is supported by the highest possible financial means into the future. That is more a comment than a statement. I wanted to compliment the Minister on that.