Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I was referring to the Department's budget. The Arts Council and the national cultural institutions have had their budgets cut by 40% to 50% between 2008 and 2015. The Department's budget is, as I said, the same but when one takes inflation into account all the increase is going on one event - the 1916 commemoration. I do not think 1916 is unimportant but there are questions over why the Government is only devoting an increase to that, while not assisting artists and community arts throughout the country.

I hope there will be a real involvement by communities and ordinary people in the 1916 celebrations. I hope it will not be a grand style event, with military and heads of state tripping over each other coming into the country. The way the Minister is devoting money to 1916 with high profile events for the country is full of rhetoric. She is not giving any assistance to the arts, however, despite heralding a recovery and the end of austerity.

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