Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 17: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the efforts he is making to ensure that funding for the arts is equally spread across all parts of the country; his views on whether funding for smaller projects has disproportionately focused on cultural and arts centres in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34814/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The Arts Council is the principal agency through which State funding is channelled to the arts. Neither my Department nor I have a function in deciding on the extent of Arts Council funding for particular projects or venues. Indeed, the Arts Act, 2003, underpins the Council's independence in this context. Funding for the Arts Council in 2006 comes to €72.31 million, an increase of nine per cent on the 2005 figure. In addition, I recently awarded an additional €7.5m for 2006 to the Arts Council to fund its capital programme.

The main vehicle for direct capital funding by my Department is the Arts & Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme (ACCESS). Under the first phase of that scheme €45.7 million was allocated for the development of 44 arts and cultural facilities throughout the country. The increase in the availability of facilities and the enhancement in their quality has greatly increased access to and participation in the arts for many people.

Last August I announced a new funding scheme called ACCESS II. This scheme will run for the years 2007 to 2009. The primary focus of the scheme will be the refurbishment and enhancement of existing arts and culture facilities. Applications for this scheme will be accepted until November 17th next.

Of the capital projects announced in August 2006, the percentage of funding available allocated to projects in Co. Kerry amounted to 3.41% of the total.