Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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748. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding given to Aosdána in the past six years and in 2017 to date; the number of members there have been over the same periods; the total amount of financial support given over the same period; the total cost in 2017 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20349/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Aosdana is a unique initiative established by the Arts Council in 1981 to honour creative artists who have made a significant contribution to the arts in Ireland.  There are currently some 250 members of Aosdána, including seven new members who came into membership last week. The scheme is the responsibility of the Arts Council and not my Department. I understand that the maximum number of members has been fixed by the Arts Council at 250 since 2005 although the actual number of members at any one time will vary.

Details of Aosdana membership including the names of members who receive funding and the amounts they receive are published every year in the Arts Council's Annual Report and on its website. I understand the cost of Aosdana was €2.6 million in 2016 and details will be available in the 2016 annual accounts later this year. Details of funding paid to members in 2017 will be available in due course.