Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which group, bodies or agencies promoting the arts or involved in productions, on a county basis, applied for and or received financial assistance by way of grant or other award in each of the past three years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4817/13]

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, to increase access to and participation in the arts, and to make the arts an integral and valued part of our national life. As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is primarily devolved to the Arts Council. Under the Arts Act 2003, the Arts Council is statutorily independent in its day-to-day operations and my Department has no role to play in its executive or funding decisions. Full information on the Council's funding decisions is made available on their funding decisions database on their website .

Full details of all awards and grant-payments made by my own Department to arts groups in 2010 and 2011 are made available on my Department's website at. At the beginning of every year, details are published of the payments made in the previous year, including the address of the recipients. Details for 2012 have not yet been updated on the website but will these be forwarded to the Deputy when completed. I would also refer the Deputy to my previous replies in relation to these matters.