Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 345: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his preferred options for the promotion and development of participation and interest in the arts among young people at community level with particular reference to the need for capital or current funding for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5284/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his attention has been drawn to the need to promote the arts at local or community level with particular reference to targeting the youth; his proposals in this regard in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5285/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 347: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he is satisfied that adequate and ready access to support and funding, capital or otherwise, is readily available to those promoting the arts at local level throughout the country; if his attention has been drawn to the number of applications made for such aid in the past 12 months; the expected projection in 2008; the extent to which he has made budgetary provision under his various departmental headings to meet such requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5286/08]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 to 347, inclusive, together.

Government Policy on the Arts is set out in the Programme for Government and elaborated further in my Department's Statement of Strategy. The Arts Council is the principal agency through which State funding is channelled to the arts and one of whose goals is to strengthen arts organisations countrywide, so as to secure the basis of a vibrant and stable arts community. Under the Arts Act, 2003, the general functions of the Council include the following:

to stimulate public interest in the arts;

to promote knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts;

to assist in improving standards in 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 statutory independence in this context.

Funding for the Arts Council has increased by almost 72% — from €47.67m in 2002, to €82.102m this year. This has allowed the Arts Council to support a record number of artists and arts organisations and a wide range of programmes aimed at all sectors, including young people. In addition funding of over €130m has been allocated by my Department for the capital development of arts and culture infrastructural facilities around the country in recent years. These initiatives are aimed at providing improved and increased access to the arts, in high quality venues, to all elements of society. 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 and arts venues, have increased access to the arts, and provide an excellent platform for still further developments in the years ahead.