Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his plans to encourage the development of and interest in, the promotion of the arts at local and international level; the objectives to encourage local community participation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41848/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 185: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the expenditure by his Department in each of the past five years to date in the promotion of interest and participation in the arts; his intentions for investment and support in this area in the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41851/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 185 together.

Government Policy on the Arts is set out in the Programme for Government and is elaborated further in my Department's Statement of Strategy. My policy on the arts is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms, increase access to and participation in the arts, and make the arts an integral and valued part of our national life. Responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is primarily devolved 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.

The Arts Council is a statutorily independent body, funded by my Department and independent in its day-to-day operations, including in relation to its funding decisions. Funding for the Arts Council has increased by over 71% from €47.67 million in 2002 to €81.6 million this year. A table showing expenditure by the Arts Council for the past five years is set out below. 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.

My Department has taken a direct role in relation to the provision of grant-aid for arts and culture infrastructure and has allocated over €150m in funding for the capital development of facilities around the country in recent years. A total of €113m of this is expected to be drawn down by the end of 2008. The table set out below outlines expenditure on capital arts projects since 2004.

The Arts Capital Programme (previously known as ACCESS – Arts and Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme) is designed to assist in the provision of high standard arts and culture infrastructural projects, thereby enhancing access to all aspects of the arts throughout the country. The programme has been widely acknowledged as a significant intervention in the provision of high quality arts and culture infrastructure around the country.

Facilities funded to date include integrated arts centres, theatres, galleries, studios, and creative and performance spaces. In this manner the Department provides the bulk of capital funding for building and refurbishing arts facilities around the country, mainly in the not for profit sector, while the Arts Council provides the ongoing revenue support for many of the facilities.

The promotion of Irish arts internationally is the responsibility of Culture Ireland, which operates under the aegis of my Department. Culture Ireland supports a wide range of projects and events across all art forms in order to increase the worldwide profile and presence of Irish artists and ensembles, and to develop new international audiences for Irish arts and culture. The agency also showcases outstanding Irish artists at key international events and festivals. Promoting Irish arts abroad represents in addition an investment in the growth of cultural tourism and Ireland's international profile and reputation. Culture Ireland's current funding for 2008 is €4.75 million.