Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 427: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total number of applications for support received so far this year in his Department or bodies under his aegis from various groups involved in the performance of the arts throughout the country; the extent to which he has been in a position to respond favourably to such requests; his intentions and his ability to meet such demands in the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21994/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to his Parliamentary Question No 309 of 6th March 2012, in which he sought information and details of the number of bodies and or groups, voluntary or otherwise, supported directly or indirectly in the past twelve months by my Department. In response to that question a letter issued to the Deputy dated 25th April 2012 containing the large amount of information sought. As the Deputy is aware, my Department has supplied details to him of all bodies and/or groups that received funding since 1st June 2011, the amount of the funding provided and the purpose of the funding. My Department has also supplied details of all funding provided by Culture Ireland to organisations from June 2011 to date. In addition, I forwarded to him details received from the Arts Council of all funding provided by it to arts practitioners, arts groups and venues in 2011 and 2012.

My Department does not operate a formal application scheme to cater for groups involved in the performance of the arts. As the Deputy is aware, primary responsibility for funding for the arts rests with the Arts Council, which is statutorily independent in this regard. Notwithstanding this, my Department does receive applications for support and assistance and, to date this year, some 300 applications have been received from various groups involved in the performance of the arts throughout the country. Unfortunately, my Department is not in a position to offer financial support in these cases, which are referred on to the Arts Council.