Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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71. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of current vacancies on the board of the Arts Council; if she will ensure that some artists and arts practitioners will be appointed to fill the vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4179/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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There are currently no vacancies on the Council.

Last year I appointed 6 people to the Council to fill existing vacancies. They are:

- Damien Downes

- Loughlin Deegan

- Paddy Glackin

- Martina Moloney

- Pádraig Ó Duinnín

- Helen Shaw

In line with the provisions of the Arts Act 2003 board members are required to have a special interest or knowledge in relation to the arts or matters connected with the functions of the Minister or the Council under the Act.

All of the appointees applied for the positions through and were recommended to me as Minister, through the Public Appointments Service, as having the requisite skills requirement for the Board of the Arts Council. The appointments are for a term of five years.