Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 7: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has given further consideration to arts bodies' requests for increased funding in order to meet the strategy outlined in the Arts Council's plan, Partnership for the Arts 2006 to 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25636/07]

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the steps being taken to provide multi-annual funding to the Arts Council as stated in the agreed programme for Government; if this will include a guarantee to increase Arts Council funding to €100 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25656/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 52 together.

I refer the Deputies to my response to Priority Question No. 3.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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In his reply, the Minister referred to his response to Priority Question No. 3 today.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Does this mean I cannot ask a question?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No, it does not.

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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It relates to multi-annual funding for the Arts Council.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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This is about increased, as opposed to multi-annual, funding. I will not labour the point except to say that there is an inescapable logic that if one sees the arts strategy — partnership for the arts — as desirable through increasing access to the arts at regional or other levels in society, such as schools or prisons, we must fund it. I made the point about the need to use the facilities, get value and maximise the potential of the considerable investment that has been made, as the Minister noted, in the hardware side of the arts. I ask the Minister to keep in mind that we must now invest in the people.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Multi-annual funding is very important for certain groups. The point was made to me that, for example, if one wants to engage an opera singer to perform, it will be vastly expensive and possibly must be arranged two or three years in advance. If one is working on a year-to-year basis, it is impossible to make those kinds of arrangements.

It is also very demanding for smaller groups when they try to fund and plan on any long-term basis. They are disadvantaged if funding is only provided on an annual basis. Perhaps the Minister would take this on board.

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I made the point earlier that I am committed to examining how we can move in that direction in the context of particular areas within the remit of the Arts Council.