Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if funding will be available for bursaries to the Arts Council of Ireland in January 2013; if these bursaries will include opera bursary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46362/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The Government's policy on the arts is to promote and strengthen the arts in all its forms including opera, to increase access to and participation in the arts, and to make the arts an integral and valued part of our national life. I am continuing to work towards this goal with my Department and the agencies within its remit, and I remain committed to securing the best possible level of funding for the arts sector. As the Deputy is aware, primary responsibility for funding and promotion of the arts rests with the Arts Council. The Council's grant-in-aid allocation for 2012 is €63.241m. The Council is independent in its decision-making process, including the mechanisms and methods for such grant aid. Details of the Council's programmes and criteria for applications for same are available on the Council's website at , as well as the decision-making panel and statistics on applications.