Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 14: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way the commitment in the programme for Government regarding developing cultural tourism opportunities, when local authorities no longer have an arts officer, will be implemented following the publication of the comprehensive spending review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36600/11]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The legislation covering employment in local authorities is set out in the Local Government Act 2001, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. Under section 159 of that Act, each County and City Manager is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary to carry out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. A County or City Manager, who considers that there are insufficient staff resources to fulfil necessary obligations and functions, can apply to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government for sanction to set aside the moratorium on public service recruitment.

I, as Minister with responsibility for the Arts, am pleased that in the months since taking office I have engaged with the arts community at community, local and national levels. I have met with many local arts officers. In addition, my Department, in conjunction with Kerry County Council, has prepared a pilot interactive local authority strategy, which, I believe, will lead to more co-ordination in arts and culture activities at community and at local levels. This strategy examines new approaches which will benefit the arts, craft and cultural tourism alike and can act as a template for any local authority which wishes to adopt a more interactive and consultative process.