Dáil debates

Tuesday, 24 June 2008

Priority Questions

Departmental Reports.

3:00 pm

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of reports that have been commissioned by his Department that are awaiting publication; the reason for the delay in publication in each case; the cost of each report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24585/08]

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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No report that has been commissioned by the Department is awaiting publication. However, as the Deputy will appreciate, a number of reports are completed or nearing completion under the Department's value for money programme, which will be published in the short to medium term. Reports on the Department's swimming pools programme and on the Irish Film Board have been finalised and a report on the Irish Sports Council will be finalised shortly.

In addition, a report by the tourism strategy implementation group, appointed to oversee the implementation of the outstanding recommendations in the report of the tourism policy review group, New Horizons for Irish Tourism: An Agenda for Action, and to address other matters, has been completed in recent weeks. I intend to bring this report to Government shortly with a view to publication subsequently.

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I welcome the fact that no reports are awaiting publication. However, my question also sought details of the cost of each report and I would welcome some information in that regard. I raised that point based on previous information I received regarding reports commissioned by outside consultants. In summary it appears that approximately €305,000 was devoted to those reports. The Minister has said they have been published. However, in reality they are not available to Members of the House for the most part and in a number of cases there seems to be no action on them. I seek two further pieces of information, the cost of the reports as requested in the question and when they will be made available so that we might get some action on them.

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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In response to a recent parliamentary question I gave the Deputy details of consultants commissioned by the Department since 2006. As some of these reports are not finished I do not have the invoicing and costing in place. If there is more up-to-date information than the information already provided to the Deputy I will certainly make it available to her. I have no new information to add to the information I gave her.

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Regarding the arts in education report which involves the Department of Education and Science, a game of ping-pong appears to have been going on for some time. I acknowledge that I received a letter from the Arts Council informing me that at the most recent meeting of the council it was decided to publish the report in the coming weeks, which I welcome as we have been seeking it for some time. Would it be possible to expedite these reports in some way such that one Department would take responsibility for implementing the reports' proposals? This issue has been passed back and forth between the Departments of Education and Science and Arts, Sport and Tourism. I recognise the need for that interaction and I would be the first to seek co-operation between the Departments, but in reality there is a game of ping-pong going on between the two Departments with nobody taking responsibility.

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I am well aware of the report. The Deputy is correct in that the report will be launched within the next week or two. I am committed to and see the direct benefit of arts in education. It would be wrong to suggest that because a report has not been published nothing is happening in this area. As the Deputy may be well aware — I have witnessed this in many schools that I visited in the recent past — the development of arts programmes in schools is significant. We would all accept there is enormous direct benefit to the students in participation in various arts programmes. I have particularly seen that in a number of primary schools I have visited recently. I accept this new report is important. I have discussed it with the Minister for Education and Science and, while I will not speak for him, I know he is very much in favour of the arts in education. We need to ascertain how we can continue to enhance the development of arts in schools. We will see whether that will happen.