Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)

Regarding Comhaltas and comedy, the Deputy knows that we have a report due from Professor Niamh Brennan in respect of the Arts Council and its governance issues. Last week, a "Prime Time Investigates" clearly demonstrated that a number of comedians had been locked out, for want of a better phrase, by the Arts Council. The Arts Council subsequently said it would love to engage with them but that was not the feeling that the individual artists had. I have made my position clear on this. Exclusivity should not be the mode of the Arts Council. The Department funds Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann directly. It is bizarre. It should be funded through the Arts Council, but because the Arts Council historically has not had a relationship with traditional Irish music, the Department does it. Comhaltas has received its largest budget ever this year. We have given it an extra allocation for its 75th anniversary, which will be huge in 2026, and for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann i mBéal Feirste i mbliana. That will be very important.

With regard to the FAI-----