Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

This is about increased, as opposed to multi-annual, funding. I will not labour the point except to say that there is an inescapable logic that if one sees the arts strategy — partnership for the arts — as desirable through increasing access to the arts at regional or other levels in society, such as schools or prisons, we must fund it. I made the point about the need to use the facilities, get value and maximise the potential of the considerable investment that has been made, as the Minister noted, in the hardware side of the arts. I ask the Minister to keep in mind that we must now invest in the people.

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