Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It goes to the Arts Council funding, which I brought up to €130 million in budget 2021. I maintained it in 2022. As I have stated many times, if one looks at what I am doing with Irish language funding, for example, for TG4, it has exceeded all previous levels and has been very well received.

Our arts and culture were devastated through Covid. The ability to perform was taken away from artists. Artists who were on the cusp of breaking through had that snatched from them. Artists who spent all their lives at this and for whom the arts is their only way of making a living found that their living was taken from them. It was essential that the Government sent a signal that we treasure our arts. The way to do that was in all the Covid supports I put in place and in bringing funding for the Arts Council up to €130 million.