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

I have made that quite clear. As a result of the programme framework, all the organisations know precisely by how much their funding will be reduced next year. I have deliberately tried to keep Arts Council funding at as high a level as possible and the decrease in its funding was not commensurate with the decrease in the funding of other national cultural organisations because of the dependency of so many organisations on Arts Council funding. I made this commitment previously when I was referring to the review and reform of the national cultural institutions, namely, that in no way will there be a reduction in public funding because of an increase in philanthropic funding. I assure the Deputy that so doing would defeat the purpose. I am trying to gain additional funding for the arts through the philanthropic process to help bolster pre-existing funding. Consequently, the funding from the State must be guaranteed, albeit while looking at the opportunities that exist to attract philanthropic funding. As I know from my own experience, they exist.

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