Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister is aware, a number of the smaller existing festivals receive funding either from the Arts Council or the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. We should utilise to the greatest extent possible funding that already exists. For this particular year there should be a requirement for Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht funding to have a Gathering dimension. In Counties Mayo and Clare there are many arts festivals, which receive support from the State through the Arts Council and have significant tourism potential. They have the capacity to act as a catalyst to attract tourism as part of the overall Gathering project.

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