Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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224. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on an issue raised by Creative Spark Louth Craftmark (details supplied) regarding funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45615/14]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Although the Arts Council is funded by my Department, it is statutorily independent in its day-to-day operations, as provided for in the Arts Act 2003. This specifically includes independence in its decisions on what it funds and the amounts it allocates. Full information on the Council's funding decisions is made available on its website at .

As a public body, the Arts Council is required to adhere to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodiesand other practices of good governance and transparency. Disbursal of funding is required to be fully in line with public service financial and accountability requirements. I understand that the Arts Council also requires the organisations it funds to comply with similar standards.

The Deputy will note that, on its website, the Arts Council commits to operating to the highest standards of corporate governance and has adopted a corporate governance regime in accordance with best practice, which includes a section on conflicts of interest.

I am confident that the Arts Council continues to discharge its duty as the principal State agency for the promotion and development of the arts in Ireland, in a strategic but transparent manner.