Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remind both Deputies of the Arts Council's press release on the budget. Deputy Boyd Barrett said the increase was a miserable one. The Arts Council stated that it welcomes the increase of €5 million. The Taoiseach has committed to doubling funding for the arts by 2025. We still intend to do that and we are on a trajectory to achieve it but we are all aware that this was not a normal budget in normal circumstances. Under those circumstances, the Arts Council has accepted that and it is best placed to discuss the matter. I am satisfied that the €80 million we secured this year, the highest level of funding in over a decade, was positive rather than negative. We should not try to mislead people in that regard.

Deputy Boyd Barrett mentioned our international reputation and I agree with him wholeheartedly. Our artists speak volumes about our global reputation. I wrote a novel and understand how difficult it is for people to earn a living. I could not have given up my job to write books. I am acutely aware of that but it is facetious to say that a social welfare scheme does not assist people because it does.

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