Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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164. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of Aosdána members who have been refused a cnuas; and the reason for these refusals. [30295/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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165. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department has considered reforms to Aosdána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30296/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 165 together.

Aosdána is an 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. Individual m embers of Aosdána can qualify for a means-tested payment known as the Cnuas if they are resident in Ireland, are full-time practising artists and if their income is below the threshold for qualification.

The scheme is the responsibility of the Arts Council and not of my Department. Under section 24(2) of the Arts Act 2003, the Arts Council is independent of the Minister in its funding decisions. There are no plans by my Department to make reforms to this initiative.

Details of Aosdána membership including the names of members who receive funding are published every year in the Arts Council's Annual Report and on the Aosdána website at