Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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150. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she and her Department expect to be in a position to encourage the performing arts at national and local level in the current year and subsequently; her views regarding the maximisation of patronage and State assistance in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31940/14]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, 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. Primary responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. The Council is funded by my Department and is statutorily independent in its day-to-day operations, including funding decisions. In 2014, the Arts Council received an allocation of almost €57 million. Details of all funding provided by the Arts Council to arts practitioners, arts groups and venues, including arts centres, are available on the Council's website at .