Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 61: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress that has been made since the publication of the Art and Education report on achieving the goals as stated by the report; the cost of this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23611/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I refer the Deputy to previous replies on this issue. This matter was also addressed in a debate held on 26 May last in the Seanad where it was raised as an adjournment matter.

As outlined in the course of that debate, when the Art and Education Report "Points of Alignment" was finalised, the Department held a number of meetings with the Arts Council and the Department of Education and Science to examine how best the recommendations in the report could be progressed, taking account of the public expenditure constraints at that time. A range of proposals was considered but it was not possible to reach agreement on the scale of the vision enshrined in the report. Since then the budgetary difficulties have become acute and it is evident that new cost-increasing measures must be deferred for the foreseeable future.

The Points of Alignment Report was undertaken under the auspices of the Arts Council and therefore the cost of the Report is a matter for the Council.