Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 322: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the degree to which funding from the proceeds of the National Lottery can be diverted or are expected to be diverted towards the grant aiding of various bodies, groups or agencies involved in the promotion or development of the arts at local and community level throughout the country. [16783/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 323: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he intends by way of policy directive to groups, bodies or others under the aegis of his Department to encourage or promote the arts specifically at local level with particular reference to such local groups that have heretofore not been recognised and are eligible for support under existing criterion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16784/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the extent to which he proposes to offer grant aid or other assistance to community based groups throughout County Kildare involved in the development or promotion of the arts with particular reference to those groups who have to date failed to qualify under existing criterions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16791/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 322, 323 and 329 together.

As I outlined in my reply of 28th January, 2009 last to Question No. 2407/09 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, a proportion of which is sourced from National Lottery funds and which is used for the purposes, inter alia, of grant aiding of various bodies, groups or agencies involved in the promotion or development of the arts at local and community level throughout the country.

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.

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 €108m of this was drawn down by the end of 2008. The table attached to this reply outlines expenditure on capital arts projects since 2004.

The Arts Capital Programme is designed to assist in the provision of high standard arts and culture infrastructural projects thereby enhancing access to the arts throughout the country. Under the scheme facilities funded to date include theatres, integrated arts centres, galleries, art studios and other arts production and performance spaces. 120 projects across the country have been assisted under the scheme. Many of these were community based arts groups. The programme has been widely acknowledged as a significant intervention in the provision of high quality arts and culture infrastructure around the country.