Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

During his election campaign the Taoiseach committed to double State funding for culture over a seven-year period. Justin Trudeau made the same commitment, but, ironically, it is a commitment on which Canada has delivered. It is time, therefore, for the Government to road-map its intentions. To quote what the Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, said today, "Additional funding to the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, of €9 million in current funding and €4 million in capital funding, will allow for key measures to be progressed in 2018." Doubling the funding for the arts would require a 10% to 20% increase annually. The increase announced today is 6%. Sinn Féin's alternative budget included fully costed increases for cultural agencies and institutions, amounting to between 10% and 15%. Fine Gael should not make promises it cannot keep and should keep every commitment it makes. In the absence of a press conference by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, this evening, it would be good to know how exactly the Arts Council can meet demands under the children and youth pillar of the Creative Ireland programme with only an additional €5 million. Separately, the sense from the arts community is that Creative Ireland needs a period of reflection. There are concerns about the level of transparency, the moneys spent on advertising and whether it is a propaganda arm of the Department. Regrettably, this is another disappointing day for artists and audiences, with unambitious measures in the area of the arts and culture.