Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy is aware that it is not possible at this stage to give any commitments regarding the budget. However, the Government's commitment to the arts has been proven over the years. The Arts Council is just one method by which the Government funds the arts. This also takes place through capital funding through all the access projects nationwide, which builds on the point of ensuring the arts are available to all sectors and in all geographic parts of the country. Moreover, substantial capital funding is available for the next few years to build on that. The funding to which the Deputy referred also does not include funding for the national cultural institutions and nor does it include funding for the Irish Film Board. Significant investment is being made in the arts and naturally, the Government will aim to ensure that it protects as much of it as possible. However, given the financial circumstances, it is not possible to provide a blanket guaranteed to any one sector.

I should point out that the Arts Council funding of €68.7 million is still €21 million more than was the case in 2002 and that a significant leap took place during those years. However, of added value in making an argument to the Department of Finance at budget time is that the arts now are no longer perceived as being an extra in society but as being highly integrated and as contributing to the country's economic value.

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