Last year the Arts Council budget was €48 million and the expectation of everybody involved was that this figure would be increased to €53 million this year. However, funding was slashed to €44 million and people involved in the arts all over the country are hurting as a result, with no prospect of planning for the future. Existing on less than their present levels is all they can hope for. If this uncertainty as regards funding continues, many groups and organisations will be out of business.