Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 382: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will respond to correspondence from a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35412/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's priorities for the Arts are set out in the Programme for Government and are elaborated further in my Department's Statement of Strategy and the Arts Plan 2008, which has been placed in the Oireachtas Library.

Responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved primarily to the Arts Council. The Arts Council is the principal agency through which State funding is channelled to the arts. 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.

As Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism I am committed to securing the best possible funding deal for the Arts Council and the arts sector generally throughout the country. The Chair of the Theatre Forum has been in touch with me and I will be responding shortly.