Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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987. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department has carried out an audit of State institutions and organisations in receipt of public funding to measure their levels of access to arts audiences and practitioners with disabilities; and if so, the results of same. [28547/17]

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

The Arts Council funds a number of key organisations and agencies that have a central role in supporting these strands of work, including Create; Arts & Disability Ireland; Age & Opportunity and Waterford Healing Arts Trust.

I understand the Arts Council’s arts and disability policy is due to be reviewed and updated in the context of the council's new ten year strategy, which is expected to be published in the coming months . The issue of carrying out an audit would be a matter for the Arts Council to consider in the context of its policy.

National Cultural Institutions also respond through their programmes to develop wider access including for people with disabilities. In this context it be noted that my Department has also been engaged with the National Council for the Blind of Ireland to consider the needs of the visually impaired. My Department will continue to work with the Council of National Cultural Institutions to encourage the development of access to all audiences.