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

The Arts Council funds the various centres based on applications made to it. A centre would have show that it had the capacity to operate and due diligence would be applied to all centres. I will convey what the Deputy has said to the council. As a country, we have made a huge investment in arts centres throughout the country during the past 20 years. The total investment, including current and capital funding, made in the previous ten years prior to my coming into office amounted to nearly €1 billion, a huge investment. It is important that we ensure these centres which were provided mostly with funding provided by taxpayers will remain open, that there will be a proper programme in place and so on. I take the Deputy's point and will convey his question to the council on it providing a service for the centres to ensure they are administered properly and cognisant of the financial arrangements necessary to ensure their viability.

I will convey the question the Deputy raises about the Arts Council provision of a service to the centres to be sure that they administer them properly and that they are cognisant of the financial arrangements and so forth to ensure their viability.

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