Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)

The Arts Council gets €141 million per year. This is a substantial amount of money. That has grown substantially over the past number of years. As I go around the country, there is an obvious question that I am often asked. I see some people on the front of a particular newspaper today asking, as Deputy Brian Brennan asked the last day, why comedians are not funded by the Arts Council. A comedian took to the front of The Irish Sun today to have a go at that suggestion, asking whether we want comedians working for the Government. We support writers, musicians, song writers and poets. They are not working for the Government. It is fine for some people who might be on television morning, noon and night as comedians. For people trying to start out, it is an art form. We should not be prescriptive by saying that country music is out, but ballet is in, or comedy is out, but harping is in. Ireland is a totally different country now culturally than what it was in 1945. It looks different, it sounds different and it is different.