Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)

My question is for Ms McGrath. The issue was touched on by a colleague earlier and was raised at a meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts last week. It relates to the conflict of interest with the National Concert Hall. Ms McGrath was emphatic that there is no conflict of interest. She mentioned a project earlier from which she exempted herself. It seems that the Arts Council funds several partnership festivals and initiatives that are directly linked with the National Concert Hall. From a quick glance, there is Tradition Now, which is a partnership with the National Concert Hall, and New Music Dublin, which is a collaborative programme between the National Concert Hall, RTÉ and the Arts Council. That latter only exists because of substantial support from both partner organisations. The Liam O'Flynn Award is jointly run by the Arts Council and the National Concert Hall. If we return to the conversation we had last week about strategic funding, several strategically funded Arts Council clients are resident in the National Concert Hall, including Music Network, Chamber Choir Ireland, the Irish Baroque Orchestra, the Crash Ensemble, and probably many more if we delve into it. Is Ms McGrath certain, in the context of the statement she made, that there is no conflict of interest? Artists would query that and point to an ongoing and substantial relationship between the Arts Council and the National Concert Hall. They have raised legitimate concerns around impartiality and conflicts of interest.