Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 568: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will ensure that funding is granted to the organisers of a festival (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14155/07]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Government support for the Arts is channelled primarily through the Arts Council, which is a statutorily independent body, under the Arts Act, 2003. The Council is independent in its day-to-day operations, including its funding decisions and I have no role in relation to such decisions. During my own term as the Minister responsible for the arts, funding for the Arts Council has increased by almost 68% from €47.67 million in 2002 to €80 million in 2007. These are significant amounts of money in any context and have transformed and increased access to the arts and allowed the Arts Council to support artists and arts organisations nationwide.