Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

7. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will, in the interest of accountability and full disclosure, call for the salaries of CEOs and directors of arts organisations which are in receipt of Government funding, either from his Department or from the Arts Council, to publish those salaries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17786/14]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On my way in this morning, I listened to the chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts speak about the money the State has provided to Rehab and other section 38 organisations. I am also conscious of the fact that in the area of the arts, about €123 million is being provided by the State to the film industry and to the Arts Council. People are anxious to know how public money is being expended and what salaries are being paid to people who are paid from the public purse.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I believe transparency is a vital element of good governance in all publicly funded organisations. In this regard, the Deputy will be aware of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. This code of practice requires that, in the interests of transparency and good governance, State bodies should publish in their annual reports details of fees paid to each of their directors, the expenses paid to the board broken down by category and the salary of the chief executive officer. While the code of practice may be somewhat burdensome for small not-for-profit organisations, the principles of good governance and transparency are the same.

The salaries of the directors of the national cultural institutions, the director of the Arts Council and the CEO of the Irish Film Board are already a matter of public record, as those positions were publicly advertised and details have been furnished to Oireachtas committees in the recent past. Furthermore, I understand that the Arts Council has undertaken a trawl of CEO and director remuneration in the organisations it funds and, in keeping with the arm's length statutory principle enshrined in the Arts Act, it is a matter for the council to determine if and how to disseminate the results of that exercise. I will examine further the issue of publication of the salaries of CEOs and directors in receipt of grants directly from my Department.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

One accepts that the cultural institutions publish precise details of salaries and so forth in their annual reports, but there is now a multiplicity of organisations, venues and facilities across the country whose managers, co-ordinators or chief executives are effectively paid from the public purse. Thankfully over the last decade or more we have built up a very extensive infrastructure of arts services, but their salaries and details of remuneration and expenses are not as readily accessible, if in some cases they are accessible at all, by the public. Notwithstanding the arm's length policy, will the Minister indicate to the Arts Council that it would be his desire to see all of this information made available to the public?

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can certainly issue a policy directive to the council, as I have done on occasion over the past three years such as with regard to a literature policy and touring policy. I am sure it would be within my power to issue a directive stating that where organisations receive funding from the Arts Council the salaries of their CEOs should be made public and should be available for public scrutiny. I will give the Deputy that commitment.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister's frank and direct response. I just ask that his commitment be honoured within a relatively short time frame. The public wishes to have this information now in respect of the organisations under the Minister's remit and, indeed, in respect of all publicly funded organisations.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will honour that commitment immediately. I will also keep in contact with the Deputy to ensure it is progressed.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As Deputies Naughten and Kyne are not present, their questions, Nos. 8 and 9, respectively, will be replied to with Written Answers.