Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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156. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she supports community-based arts and heritage groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14007/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for a Partnership Governmentcontains a very important commitment to work to progressively increase funding to the arts, including the Arts Council, as the economy continues to improve. The Arts Council in turn supports the work of local authorities in promoting the arts at local and community level. My Department also provides capital grants to assist in providing and maintaining cultural venues.

The Programme for a Partnership Governmentalso includes a number of commitments which are relevant in terms of community-based arts and heritage groups, including:

- Encouraging local authorities to strengthen the role of arts and heritage officers by building stronger links with local development groups.

- The introduction of a new capital grants scheme to provide upgrades to existing regional arts and cultural centres around the country. Further encouraging strong mutually beneficial links between the business community and arts organisations.

- Supporting a built heritage investment scheme on an annual basis to support the conservation of heritage structures and the regeneration or urban and rural areas.