Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 23: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will report on the guidelines for 2005 for the per cent scheme for public art; if he is satisfied with the level of awareness about the scheme; the level of uptake of the funding allocated in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5338/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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On 7 December last, I launched general national guidelines on the per cent for art scheme, which are designed to encourage the creation of public art in the context of construction contracts undertaken in the public sector. These guidelines were drawn up following an extensive public consultative process aimed at giving the scheme a sharper focus and are intended to assist and encourage all Departments and public bodies to participate in the scheme.

While it has not been possible to collate global statistics on the level of implementation of the scheme which was extended to all Departments with construction budgets by Government decision in 1997, the available evidence suggests that its implementation may have been somewhat uneven at times.

It is hoped that the availability of the guidelines will encourage full implementation of the scheme by all public bodies and my Department has taken an active role in informing all Departments of the need to ensure that the scheme is adopted and promoted in relation to all capital construction projects under their remit.