Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the details of the proposed establishment of the national opera company; when it will be fully operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13981/10]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if she will provide further information on the foundation of the Irish National Opera company; the outcome for the existing opera companies here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14015/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 77 together.

The foundation of Irish National Opera was announced recently and an interim board, chaired by Mr. Ray Bates, former director of the National Lottery was appointed. The Irish National Opera will be based in Dublin. It will stage opera on all scales in the capital and throughout the country. The company will also encourage the development of opera through the provision of opportunities for emerging Irish talent and with education and outreach programmes that will encourage more people to engage with and attend opera performances.

The new company will replace the two State-funded companies, Opera Ireland and Opera Theatre Company, which between them cover much of the range of artistic work expected from a national opera company. At present, Opera Ireland produces main-scale opera in Dublin, while Opera Theatre Company produces smaller-scale opera, both in Dublin and throughout the State, in addition to operating outreach and education programmes. The chairs of both companies, Mr. Thomas Lynch and Ms Virginia Kerr, have been appointed to the interim board.

The process of working towards the formation of a new Irish national opera company has been a collaborative one involving the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, the Arts Council, Opera Ireland and Opera Theatre Company. My officials, together with the Arts Council, have met the new chairman already. The high-level goals of the new company have been agreed.

It is envisaged that the Irish National Opera will officially commence operation in the coming weeks. Opera Ireland and Opera Theatre Company will continue their work throughout 2010, as agreed with the Arts Council, because both companies have been funded by the Arts Council to continue with their agreed respective artistic outputs for all of 2010.

In addition to the chairman Mr. Ray Bates, Ms Virginia Kerr and Mr Thomas Lynch, the interim board of Irish National Opera includes Sir Brian McMaster, chairman of the National Opera Studio in the United Kingdom and former managing director at the Welsh National Opera. To assist in transitional arrangements, the chief executives of Opera Ireland and Opera Theatre Company, Mr. Niall Doyle and Ms Kirsty Harris, respectively, have been appointed to the interim board for three months.

At present, there are three opera companies in the State that receive annual funding from the Arts Council. These are Opera Ireland and Opera Theatre Company, which I have dealt with, and Wexford Festival Opera. Wexford Festival Opera has a distinct niche and a highly successful brand both nationally and internationally and is a very successful tourism generator for Wexford. It is important that this brand be maintained in its present form and consequently there are no plans to change its funding or institutional arrangements. That has also been agreed with the Arts Council.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Nothing will happen before next month. What is planned for the overall body? There is general welcome for a new national opera company. Will the company be a cultural institution? Will it be funded directly by the Department rather than the Arts Council, which funds the existing companies? What will be the new company's terms of reference? Will the debt of Opera Ireland be cleared before the setting up of the new company? No new company wants to be set up with a debt hanging over it.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Funding for 2011 will have to be agreed in the Estimates. We must await the outcome. The high-level objectives have been agreed with Opera Ireland, the Opera Theatre Company and the Arts Council. These have already been set out and include producing opera at all scales, promoting and encouraging the experience of opera productions among a wider audience, encouraging the development of the opera industry, establishing an innovative and diverse education and outreach programme and developing opera as an art form through the commissioning and presentation of new work.

With regard to debts, they will need to be managed and examined. The new company is to have its inaugural meeting after Easter.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Will it be a cultural institution?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I cannot answer that as yet.