Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 85: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his plans to promote the arts in various forms at community level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35065/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his plans to promote the arts at various levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35066/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 86 together.

Responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is primarily devolved to the Arts Council, a body funded by my Department but independent on a day-to-day basis. During my own term as the Minister responsible for the arts, funding for the Arts Council has increased by 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 approximately 80% between 1997 and 2002.

This does not include the very substantial funding also 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 and increased access to the arts and provide an excellent platform for even further developments in the years ahead.