Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 4: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on whether funding for the Arts Council in Estimates 2007 falls far short of the demand for grant aid for bursaries, awards, projects and schemes in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41024/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Since becoming Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism in 2002, I have consistently and effectively made the case, in the context of annual Estimates discussions, for increased funding for the arts, and the results are clearly in evidence.

Since 2002 funding for the Arts Council has increased by over 67% from €47.67 million in 2002 to €80 million in 2007. This clearly demonstrates the Government's commitment to the arts and has allowed the Arts Council to support a record number of artists and arts organisations around the country. These are significant amounts of money in any context and have transformed and increased access to the arts in recent years, and provide an excellent platform for even further developments in the years ahead.

However, the Arts Council is an independent body under the Arts Act 2003 and is wholly independent in its funding decisions. I have, therefore, no involvement in the allocation of grants to specific projects under the Arts Council's schemes.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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I remind the Minister that the increase of 11% he provided to the Arts Council this year was more or less committed already. There is a commitment to the Abbey Theatre, a €2 million commitment to touring and a commitment to the traditional arts. In reality, the Arts Council has received a very small increase.

Last year the Arts Council received approximately 2,065 applications from individuals, festivals, groups and so on but it could only fund 500 of these. Of the individual artists who applied for funding, only one in three received funding, and of the festivals, one in two received funding. Many people will be disappointed next year. I am sure the Minister will agree that a 30% increase in funding might result in a 100% increase in output. Many artists are frustrated because they do not have the funding to develop their work fully. We are failing to capitalise on much latent undeveloped talent due to the lack of funding.

Given the Arts Council will have a demand for approximately €120 million next year but will receive €70 million or less, the result will be frustration for many people. The Minister should consider ways of providing additional funding. I realise the Supplementary Estimate will be brought forward next week. If the Minister could provide funding from any source for the Arts Council for next year, it would assist it to fulfil its meaningful role. Before the Minister announced the Estimate, the chairman and chief executive of the council expressed concern about the level of funding it is receiving for next year. Funding per capita here is well below that in other countries and Northern Ireland.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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On my watch, the budget for the Arts Council has increased by 67% which, by any standard, is a substantial increase over a four year period. This has been recognised and acknowledged by those involved in the arts throughout the country. As with all budgets and Estimates, everybody will not get everything they want.

International comparisons are far less simple than originally appears to be the case. Approaches to what is classified as "arts" can differ quite dramatically. It must also be noted that jurisdictions with very high spending across the board also tend to have very high tax rates, which we do not have. The arts must compete for funding with all other sectors, which it has done successfully.

Since I became Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, there has been a tradition of seeking to invest savings in the arts where possible. For example, as part of the first phase of its three year strategy the Arts Council sought an allocation of €79.3 million from me in 2006. With the savings I have allocated to the Arts Council, which have been greatly welcomed, the amount I allocated to the Arts Council during 2006 was greater than the amount it sought. The council's funding for 2006 now stands at €79.81 million, which exceeds the amount sought and demonstrates the Government's commitment to the arts sector in no uncertain terms.

This year, the Arts Council sought €80 million and was given that amount.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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It was more than that. It sought €100 million.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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If, in the course of 2007, further funding becomes available to assist the arts community, the Arts Council and arts organisations, the Deputy can be assured I will do all I can to assist. That has been my record and that of Government.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Before the Minister gets totally carried away, I point out that he was the first Minister in recent times to reduce funding for the Arts Council, when he reduced it by €5 million in 2002. The arts community is still reeling from that reduction. Cuts were made that led to the loss of very good personnel, the closure of some venues and the stopping of touring.

Will the Minister consider the touring budget in particular and provide further funding? A beginning was made this year with €2 million committed from this fund over a three year period for various forms of arts. For example, the Druid Theatre Company is touring with John B. Keane's "Year of the Hiker" this year. The play was staged in Tralee recently, where it was full to capacity every night. It is now in Portlaoise and will visit Letterkenny, where centres were established with taxpayers' money over the years. However, since funding was withdrawn in 2002, some centres are not visited by touring groups. I ask the Minister to increase this aspect of funding, particularly in view of cultural inclusion. A report to be published shortly will outline that one of the main barriers to cultural inclusion in this country is that professional touring groups cannot visit all parts of the country.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Arts Council spending has increased by 67% under my watch.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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It was cut by €5 million in the Minister's first year in office.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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There was a cut in 2002-03 because of the budgetary circumstances.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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It was a readjustment.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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There were cutbacks at that time, or at least adjustments in the Estimates across several Departments.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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The Government conned the people.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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If those adjustments had not been made, the economy would not have weathered the storm which many other economies failed to weather during that period. Those adjustments have proven to be the correct course of action. Time has proven the Government was right. While there were slight cutbacks in terms of the budget for the Arts Council at that time, these have been more than made up for. Again, we have seen a substantial increase in Arts Council funding this year.