Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)

When it was proposed that Irish National Opera would be put in place, there was an expectation that what we are discussing would happen. As a result, the Arts Council reduced the funding it was making available. One of my predecessors announced exactly what would happen, stated that there would be departmental support, relieved the Arts Council of responsibility for the opera brief and established a special implementation group. When Irish National Opera presented its report to me, it indicated that funding of €4.5 million, in respect of which provision had not been made, would be required. Unfortunately, that amount was not available. Irish National Opera was about to appoint a chief executive and put in place an entire structure for something for which provision had never been made. The level of Arts Council funding being made available in respect of opera would have been influenced by the expectation that Irish National Opera would eventually come into operation. This could possibly be the explanation with regard to what occurred.

See this speech in context