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

I remind the Deputy that the reduction in Arts Council funding was not 11%. It is 6.2%, and if we remove the figure included for the Irish Presidency, it is less than 5%. Since becoming Minister, I have managed the reduction in Arts Council funding as much as possible. The first year's reduction was just 3% and last year it was just 4%. The new Ignite programme and initiative aims to facilitate the creation of new work by professional artists with a disability. This initiative represents the largest investment ever in Ireland in the arts and disability sector. While the Arts Council may have discontinued the particular programme mentioned by the Deputy, I advise her to consider the Ignite programme and the fact it has been well resourced and funded. There may be opportunities in that for the people she represents. I agree with her that people with disabilities deserve as much special treatment as possible and suggest she looks at the Ignite programme to see if those she is representing can be supported by it.

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