Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I warmly welcome the debate on the arts and I am delighted with the cross-party support of this motion. I encourage all Deputies to support it because the arts are important as part of our being and who we are. Only last week I met a number of artists, including Ms Garry Hynes from the Druid, Mr. Eugene Downes of the Kilkenny Arts Festival, Ms Anne Clarke from Landmark Productions and Mr. Feargal Hynes from the Druid. They made a very comprehensive and convincing case on arts funding. I strongly support their views in this evening's debate.

I also welcome that our Minister has accepted this motion and the Government is not opposing it. There is unity on this issue. As well as having such unity, we must have common sense. We must face the reality that we need adequate funding for the arts sector. We also need a visionary approach to arts and culture policy into the future. We also need the Department - and Members across parties - to rally around arts and culture in the country.

We must consider examples of good practice in other countries. In France they have a vision of culture, culture is at the heart of Canadian society, and Iceland has massive support and understanding for the arts. These are examples, but in Ireland we must focus on adequate funding for the sector. We must ensure people in the arts sector are looked after, as there is much poverty evident in it. There are low-paid artists in and out of work, for example. We must deal with such issues with strategic and sustainable funding. I urge everybody to unite around this matter. My portfolio deals with disability issues and there is a large pool of talent in that area that could be brought into the arts. We also need the arts community to go into areas of economic disadvantage, where again there is much talent that is not being tapped. I thank everybody for their support. We must all work together in the interests of the arts community.

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