Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

I have the floor, Minister. We know what you are doing.

South Tipperary arts centre did brilliant work with many household names such as Comhaltas CeoltóiríÉireann and Brú Ború. The Minister was on Matt Cooper's show earlier today - chuala méé sin. The Minister is not marking Jimmy Barry Murphy now; it is a different situation. The Minister talks about jobs. I compliment Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú and his bean chéile, Úna, for the arts, culture and heritage they have promoted in south Tipperary, right beside the Rock of Cashel. They give so much expression to so many young people in music, song and dance and folklore. They have an archive covering the whole country.

We also have the Clonmel Junction Festival, which does tremendous work, Coláiste Cois Suire in my village and an Éigse for Séamus Ó Maolchathaigh this weekend. Huge work has been put into it in my local village of Newcastle. I compliment everybody there and on the research done on the brilliant book An Gleann agus a Raibh Ann. Sin é an tír atá ann and the Minister should leave us alone and support the arts. He should not be like every other Minister in this Government. Whatever arrogance has got into them over the year, they just want to destroy what is good and attack anything people enjoy and from which they derive creativity, support and stimulation. We should be supporting these groups.

The Minister is trying to amalgamate three bodies that are doing great work. We already have boards that should be abolished and an bord snip recommended that we get rid of quangos. This area is not where that policy should be focused. These groups are willing, ready and able to amalgamate or co-operate to the fullest extent. They are not costing any money. The value we get from them as taxpayers is how they attract foreign direct investment, film making and tourists who come here to enjoy the arts. The cultural institutions that have served us so well must be left alone. The National Art Gallery, Irish Museum of Modern Art, IMMA, and the Crawford Art Gallery have expressed their desire to work more closely in the future.

We have seen what has happened with Lá Fhéile Pádraig, our patron saint's day, which can command audiences of millions worldwide. The same is true of the activities and attractions of the GAA. The Bealtaine Festival is one of the most recent festivals and hundreds of thousands of people took part. People might be downtrodden financially but they are ready to express themselves culturally and, indeed, economically by creating and generating jobs. The Taoiseach, like the rest of us, is promoting The Gathering, but these groups cannot be suppressed. The centenary commemoration of the Rising will take place in 2016 and there will be many other commemorations, including in Tipperary. We must support and enhance them. The Minister must allow the Irish people who have such a wealth and depth of culture, energy, passion and enthusiasm to express those qualities. They should not be further downtrodden.

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