Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In her reply, the Minister said she does not fund projects and does not intend to fund specific projects through Creative Ireland. Creative Ireland emerged from the Government's broad cultural 2025 strategy document. All of the Government initiative was welcomed at its launch in December 2016. The arts world welcomes the enhanced level of co-ordination that promised to put culture and creativity at the centre of public policy. Almost one year has passed since the launch and there is an air of ambiguity around the role of Creative Ireland, particularly when it comes to the distribution of its budget. Budget 2018 saw the allocation of €8.5 million to Creative Ireland. How will this money be spent? Has Creative Ireland become an alternative funding agency to the Arts Council? Is the allocation of €8.5 million the beginning of an attempt to usurp the role of the legislatively independent Arts Council?

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