Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I have already said, the general scheme provides that the Minister may issue general policy directions on matters such as pay policy and staffing but not artistic or curatorial matters. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, of which the Deputy is a member, is currently engaged in pre-legislative scrutiny on the general scheme of the Bill. These issues will, no doubt, form part of the committee's report on the legislation. I look forward to receiving that report in due course. There will be much more debate on this legislation and I am very happy to take on board the different suggestions and ideas put forward by Deputies and Senators because at the end of the day, we all want an institution that is allowed to continue to thrive and flourish but which is also accountable to the taxpayer.

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