Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress made towards implementing the recommendation of the Arts and Education Committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41676/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Special Committee on the Arts and Education report 'Points of Alignment' published earlier this year marked the culmination of a comprehensive consultation process and serious consideration of all the issues by those charged with the production of this document. The Committee's remit was to advise the Arts Council on how best to align the Council's strategies for the promotion and encouragement of the arts with the priorities of the formal education system. Indeed the authors of, and contributors to, this report are to be commended for their openness and insightful deliberations in putting forward their final recommendations.

As I stated in my reply on 8th October last in response to Parliamentary Question No. 174, this report points out the advantages of structured communication and interaction between school and artistic communities at a local level and adds further vital information on this exciting and wide-ranging arts and education spectrum.

When the relevant parties have finalised their budgets for 2009, my Department intends to resume consultations with the Department of Education and Science and the Arts Council to see what elements, if any, of the recommendations of the report can be implemented. These consultations will however, have to be undertaken in the light of the ongoing economic challenges and the serious budgetary constraints now facing all areas of public expenditure.