Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 18: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his attention has been drawn to recent comments from the chair of the Arts Council to the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs that Ireland's direct funding of the arts is lower than that of any of its European counterparts; if he believes it is acceptable that direct funding for the arts should be so low; his response to the Arts Council's direct request for increased funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34895/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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International comparisons are far less simple than initially appears to be the case. Approaches to what is classified as "arts" spend, for example, can differ quite dramatically from one jurisdiction and context to another. It must also be said that jurisdictions with very high spending across the board also tend to have very high tax rates and that is something that we do not have here. The arts must compete for funding with all other sectors and I have committed myself to securing the best possible deal for the arts in that context. This is the only sensible approach.

It is also an approach which has paid off in recent years. During my own term as the Minister responsible for the arts, funding for the Arts Council has increased by a total of 28% from €47.67 million in 2002 to €61 million in 2005 which, as the chair of the council informed the joint committee, has allowed the council to support a record number of artists and arts organisations. This built on earlier increases of about 80% between 1997 and 2002. This does not include the substantial funding provided by my Department for the capital development of arts and culture facilities around the country in recent years: my Department's ACCESS scheme, for example, provided €45.7 million for the development of 44 facilities, including museums, arts centres, theatres, and multi-purpose arts spaces throughout the country.

These are significant amounts of money in any context, and the amounts of both current and capital funding that have been provided in recent years have transformed the arts, have increased access to the arts and provide an excellent platform for still further developments in the years ahead.

The Arts Council met with the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs on 19 October 2005. As part of its presentation the council outlined its plans for the next three years under the new strategy for the arts which is to be published in mid-December. This is a three year strategy which seeks to increase Exchequer funding to €100 million by 2008. As part of the first phase of the strategy, the council has sought an allocation of €79.3 million in 2006. Following the meeting, the chair of the joint committee wrote to me in support of the council's request for €79.3 million in 2006, leading to €100 million over a three year cycle.

It is entirely appropriate for the Arts Council to request such funding as it believes it needs and for the joint committee to express its view. The Government, however, must balance competing demands from every part of our economy and society. In this context, I am delighted to confirm that I have secured an allocation of €72.319 million for the council in 2006. That represents an increase of almost 19% on 2005 and almost 38% on 2004.