Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 114: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress made on introducing multi-annual funding for the Arts Council; when this will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41116/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The funding of the Arts Council, as with all Government Departments and State agencies, is a matter for consideration under the annual budget and Estimates' process. In doing so, the Government must balance competing demands from every part of our economy and society.

I am aware of the Arts Council's desire to have multi-annual budgets. I can appreciate the need for stability in budgeting that such a measure would provide, but my Department, like other Government Departments, is provided with and must work within annual current expenditure budgets through the Estimates' process.

By any standards however, the Arts Council has seen dramatic increases in its funding allocation in recent years, increasing by over 71% from €47.67 million in 2002 to €81.6 million this year. These are significant amounts of taxpayers' money in any context and have effectively transformed the arts, by facilitating increased access to and participation in the full spectrum of art forms throughout the country. The Government's sustained commitment to the arts is evidenced by these substantial increases in funding, including supplementary funding of €3m to the Arts Council at the end of 2007.