Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 25: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will reverse the cut to the grant for a theatre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36620/11]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It is not clear whether the Deputy is referring to capital or current funding in his Question. In 2011, the organisation referred to was paid a capital grant of €21,726 by my Department. Funding for arts and cultural capital projects is primarily from the Cultural Development subhead of my Department, which has an allocation of €7.8 million in 2011. This funding is fully committed and there is no scope for any further funding being provided. The Deputy will appreciate that, given the current economic situation, it is unlikely that a new capital infrastructure scheme will be announced in the near future. In any case, my Department has not received any further application for funding from the organisation in question.

Applications for current funding should be directed to the Arts Council. Under the Arts Acts 2003, the Arts Council is statutorily independent of the Minister in its funding decisions and in its processes and the Minister is not the responsible authority to the Dáil on these matters. Section 24(2) of the Arts Act 2003 precludes interference by the Minister in Arts Council funding decisions.