Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)

Multi-annual funding is very important for certain groups. The point was made to me that, for example, if one wants to engage an opera singer to perform, it will be vastly expensive and possibly must be arranged two or three years in advance. If one is working on a year-to-year basis, it is impossible to make those kinds of arrangements.

It is also very demanding for smaller groups when they try to fund and plan on any long-term basis. They are disadvantaged if funding is only provided on an annual basis. Perhaps the Minister would take this on board.

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