Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the reason he has not established the Music Board as promised in the 2002 Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11764/07]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The Music Board of Ireland was established on an interim basis in May, 2001 by the then Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht, and the Islands, Síle de Valera, T.D.

The Mandate given to the Board was:

to act as a forum for the industry;

to devise and actively promote strategic policies for the development of the industry and the maximisation of its contribution to the national economy;

to assist Government and its agencies in their efforts to develop the industry.

The interim Board was established on the basis that the then Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht, and the Islands, and IBEC, would fund the costs arising on a 50:50 basis for 3 years.

In November 2002 the Board submitted a draft strategic plan for the development of the music industry in Ireland. This draft strategy was carefully considered in my Department, but the end conclusion was that it was not satisfactorily demonstrated that the benefits accruing from the suite of programmes and activities proposed by the interim Board would be commensurate with the costs involved. Accordingly, it was decided not to proceed to statutory establishment, and the Board was not renewed beyond its initial three-year term of office.

The main channel through which State aid is provided to the arts is through the Arts Council and all music genres continue to fall within its remit. This year, I was pleased to be in a position to make an amount of €80m available to the Arts Council to support all areas of the arts, including music.