Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

Is the Arts Council not about getting as close to perfection as possible? I take the point that young lads want to read about sports but neither Ronaldo nor Packie Bonner needs a tax incentive to write a book. That is not the purpose of the tax incentive, which is to help emerging and young artists. Deputy Bertie Ahern is not one of those and neither is Ronaldo. Does the Minister see the point? This undermines genuine attempts to help emerging and young artists.

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