Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will provide the ongoing funding necessary to mainstream the touring experiment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33863/08]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 169: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his plans to provide a national touring programme in 2009; if there is secure funding for such a programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33785/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 169 together.

Funding for touring is provided by the Arts Council. The Arts Council is statutorily independent under the Arts Act 2003 and I have no role to play in its specific funding decisions.

In 2007 and 2008 combined, approximately €2.5 million has been spent by the council to support touring. This is in addition to touring provision embedded in revenue grants to organisations. The Arts Council introduced a touring programme in late 2006 for which funding of €1.7 million was made available in 2007. The council expects an analysis report on the touring programme to be completed in 2008 at which time the council will consider its recommendations and the options for the future. In the meantime, the council has provided a further €757,000 in grants for touring in 2008.

In addition, in the context of its 80th anniversary, the Department has provided €250,000 for the Gate Theatre in 2008 to part fund its 40-venue tour of "Waiting for Godot". This tour is under way and each venue visited to date has been sold out. Clearly, any allocation for touring in 2009 will have to be made by the Arts Council in the context of the allocation available to it and based on the analysis of the programme in the last two years.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I agree with the Minister about the great success of the "Waiting for Godot" project which has been very well received around the country. However, while he says he is not directly responsible for the touring project funding, he has responsibility for the access programme and welcome hundreds of millions spent on theatres and arts facilities around the country. However, there was a purpose in building them — to fill them with art productions. The reality is that value for money is not being obtained from them and the money being spent on behalf of the taxpayer because the funding simply is not available for companies to tour. If performances of a proper standard cannot be staged for the regions, there is no point in building facilities there. We have spent the money and must now find that little extra to ensure all of the best productions — dance, opera etc. — travel around the country. There is no point in having all of them in Dublin, if we have built facilities and continue to build them around the country. They find it extremely difficult to operate to full capacity. Many are closed during the week and there is great difficulty in maintaining them because there is simply no income available. The reality is that while the Minister is not directly responsible, he does have responsibility to show value for money from what has been spent.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I agree about the facilities already in place all over the country through the access programme which has been very valuable. All of us will have seen many of these facilities. It is clear some areas are far better than others in maximising the use of a theatre. It comes down to the personalities involved — the drive, energy and vision shown in the different areas. I am strongly supportive of the touring programme and have conveyed that view. It is not just about "Waiting for Godot" which has been an enormous success. I have seen the production around the country and it has filled all of the theatres. Given the quality of the actors involved, people would come from all over the world to see it; they are just outstanding. They have made what I would consider to be a very difficult and inaccessible play as accessible as they can in terms of the way it is presented because of the sheer quality of their acting. This tells us that there is a hunger all around the country for quality theatre. Because of what has happened in recent times with touring programmes and their success, we need much more. That responds to the essential point made by the Deputy to the effect that while we have invested on the capital side, we now need to ensure we invest on the current side to support programmes that clearly reach out into all communities. It has been demonstrated that they can fill theatres all over the country and have been very successful for all the audiences involved, whether young or old.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Can I look for forward to seeing additional funding being made available next week?

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Perhaps I can ask the same question: can we look forward to seeing additional funding? I was one of those lucky enough to obtain tickets for "Waiting for Godot" and it was superb. Earlier we spoke about the culture night concept being extended around the country. Clearly, there is a hunger for the arts, not just in Dublin, as the Minister has pointed out. It is important that the facilities are in place. Small theatre companies simply cannot afford it, unless they have a commitment to carry out their programme successfully.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister for Finance will present the budget next week and we shall see exactly where we stand. It does not in any way invalidate my view which I have shared with the House in terms of the value of many programmes. I intend, no matter what resources are available, to try to support these programmes. I agree, absolutely, that the touring programme, in all its guises, is enormously successful and that it should be expanded and promoted. However, as I said, the Arts Council will make the decision. It certainly knows my general approach and views as regards its value.