Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The ACCESS programme has produced wonderful venues and arts centres around the country but unfortunately in many cases they are struggling. The Minister is aware of this and following the cut in the Arts Council funding the touring programme will contract, which means the venues have less opportunity to generate revenue. The Minister gives them capital revenue and when the council has the funding it gives them current revenue but there is no money for mini-capital projects such as painting, lighting, heating and sound systems and because the centres cannot generate the revenue themselves they are deteriorating for lack of maintenance. If there is any money available it should be put into these mini-capital projects to preserve what we have invested in and to offer the opportunity for some construction work around the country.

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