Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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861. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she expects increased funding to the arts in the coming years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29945/15]

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. As Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, I am committed to securing the best possible funding for the Arts Council and the arts sector generally. I was very pleased, at the conclusion of last year's Estimates processes, not only to have ensured there would be no reduction in funding for the arts and culture areas of my Department for 2015, but also to have secured an additional €2 million in funding for the national cultural institutions, which have faced considerable funding challenges, as well as an additional €2 million for the Arts Council, which will use the allocation for its commemorations programme in preparation for 2016.

The funding requirements for the arts sector for next year and the years ahead will be addressed in the context of the Estimates and Budgetary process. In doing so, the Government must balance competing demands from every part of our economy and society.