Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 29 May 2025
Public Accounts Committee
Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Financial Statements 2023: Arts Council
Financial Statements 2023: National Gallery
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2023
Chapter 10 - Measuring the Performance of Arts and Sports Spending
2:00 am
Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
Yes, I know. I am caught for time. The last point I would like to make is that this is as an organisation that is funded by the Exchequer to the tune of 78%. I do not think the argument stacks up that the additional cost will not fall back on the Exchequer. From an accounting point of view, it may well be coming from the gallery's own resources, but, ultimately, there is an opportunity cost involved here. It is an organisation that is funded by the public purse almost to 80%, so I think that argument is only a deflection, to be perfectly honest. This is, ultimately, costing the public purse whatever way one dresses it up.
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