Ms Orlaith McBride:

I will respond specifically to the question about local government. The Deputy is absolutely correct in that in the past 30 years since we developed our first partnership with local government back in 1985 it has probably been truly the most transformative thing in terms of the arts reaching people right across the country. The value for money report recognises that and our new strategy, Making Great Art Work, also recognises that. One of the key pillars underpinning the new strategy is that we will recommit to our relationship with local government. This month we will launch a new memorandum of understanding, MOU, between the Arts Council and the County and City Management Association and then we will sit down with every local authority over the next three years and agree a new funding agreement and service level agreement with them, which will very clearly outline how we will proceed. The reality is that there are particular concerns that may be only of local significance and then there are particular concerns that the Arts Council also wants to support and fund. Therefore, the new memorandum of understanding with each local authority will identify those particular initiatives that are of interest exclusively to the local authority, those particular initiatives that are of interest exclusively to the Arts Council and those that are joint concerns. There will be no ambiguity in terms of the Arts Council’s role and responsibility at national level and then at local level. We recognise that our relationship with local government is the most important relationship in terms of identifying other bodies with which we can partner in the coming years.