Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

I join colleagues on all sides of the House in commending Deputy Robert Troy, Fianna Fáil Party spokesperson on the arts, heritage and the Gaeltacht, on bringing forward this issue for political attention in the Dáil. The arts are also receiving attention in the Seanad this week. At a time of economic pressures across all Departments, we must ensure that areas of funding which were traditionally seen as "easy targets" do not get squeezed.

Investment in the arts has manifold pay-offs. In many ways, the arts are at the heart of what Ireland is about and how it is seen from abroad. We should hold this strong cultural heritage dear. There is an onus on the Oireachtas to take every measure possible to ensure our cultural institutions are protected and enhanced. In this regard, I urge the Minister to take on board what is proposed in this motion and the points made in this debate before proceeding with any plans to merge cultural institutions. Following consultation with many of the bodies concerned, it has become clear that some of the proposed measures will have serious repercussions. Moreover, there is no clear outline as to where the desired cost savings will arise from such an initiative. It makes sense on many levels to reconsider these proposals.

One of the proposed actions is the introduction of shared services for the National Library and the National Museum. These two bodies perform very valuable but separate functions. Combining responsibility for very important but distinct services to the State such as are provided by these institutions is to blur the lines and engender confusion as to their respective objectives and functions. Members of the arts community have been very generous with their time over the years, above and beyond the requirements of any funding they received. Many people working in the sector or with an appreciation of the sector and our culture give of their time voluntarily in a variety of ways. It is incumbent upon us to ensure that in establishing bodies for distinct purposes they are independent in terms of policy making. If we can do so, people with a strong interest in the enhancement of those bodies will provide their services at board level to protect them and ensure they perform to the optimum.

It is questionable whether the proposal to combine the Museum of Modern Art, the Crawford Art Gallery and the National Gallery, while retaining separate identifies, can be achieved. In addition, many people have expressed reservations about the plan to merge the National Archives and the Irish Manuscripts Commission. I hope the Minister will be able to reassure us that he will not proceed with those proposals and instead leave the institutions as they are.

A lot is being asked of the arts sector, which is already under severe pressure. Current funding for the arts is down by 6% this year, from €124 million to €117 million, as a result of the most recent budget. The Arts Council's budget is down by 3%. In addition, arts capital funding has been most severely hit, down 34%, from €32 million to €22 million. Those measures will have repercussions for the future. This week we have seen the first moves by Ministers positioning themselves for the next budget. The Minister, however, should ensure the arts are prioritised as much as possible, while considering the impact that budgetary measures may have. We must continue to value the work of the arts sector. The Minister must ensure that our cultural institutions retain their independence and continue to be supported.

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