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

As the Minister said, €8.5 million was allocated in the budget in order to accelerate the delivery of the objectives of Creative Ireland. However, it is entirely unclear to me and to many in the arts community how that money will be spent. I am concerned that Creative Ireland is going to either duplicate or usurp the function and role of the Arts Council. I am not alone in my concerns that it will become the alternative agency for funding the arts in Ireland. The allocation of €3 million to the Arts Council is nowhere close to what it and the arts community expected as a commitment from the Government to increased funding for the arts. How does the increase of €13 million to the Minister's Department fit with the Taoiseach's promise to double the arts budget over the next seven years and has the Department been given a map of projected increases to meet that pledge? Organisations need greater certainty on future funding and to know the figures in order that the might plan ahead.

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