Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Go raibh maith agat.

It is very important that a new venture have the artistic and creative ability to provide a programme that supports young Irish artists and singers and which can gain international recognition. To do that, it must have proper staffing and an artistic director, in addition to a very good board and funding. In anticipation of the fact that no major programme will be capable of being provided until 2012, the best way to proceed is to continue to support next year Opera Theatre Company's current remit of bringing opera all over the country and to wind down Opera Ireland. This is preferable to beginning something that would not meet any of the requirements.

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