Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the Arts Act 2003, primary responsibility for the promotion and support of the arts, including literature, throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council.

The Arts Council’s remit for literature includes high-quality poetry, fiction, short fiction, children’s literature, critical writing and some forms of creative non-fiction. The Arts Council’s supports are designed to create the optimum environment for writers to create their best work either through direct support and through partnerships with others.

The strategic context for the Arts Council’s support of literature and all other artforms and areas of arts practice is set out in Making Great Art Work: Arts Council Strategy (2016 –2025). This describes how it will lead the development of the arts in Ireland over the next decade. Its strategy has five priority areas: the artist; public engagement; investment strategy; spatial and demographic planning; and developing capacity.

In Budget 2017, I secured significant additional funding for the Arts Council. This will see an increase in the Arts Council allocation in 2017 of €5m, or 8%, and will assist the Council in implementing its 10-year strategy.

The Deputy may be also aware that writers may benefit under the artists' exemption tax relief (Section 195 Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (TCA 1997). From 2015 and subsequent years the first €50,000 per annum of profits or gains earned by writers, composers, visual artists and sculptors from the sale of their work is exempt from income tax in Ireland in certain circumstances.

I understand that the Revenue Commissioners have made a wide range of statistical information on their Statistics webpage at the following linkwww.revenue.ie/en/about/statistics/other-datasets.html.

This includes a list of individuals who received a favourable determination under Section 195 Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 during the period 21st April 1998 to 31st December 2001 and from 01 April 2002 to 30 September 2016.