Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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140. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will address the fact that the Arts Council will significantly cut the amount of funding provided to regularly funded organisations in 2017 compared to 2016. [44517/17]

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. Under the Arts Act the Arts Council is independent in relation to its funding decisions.

I understand from the Arts Council however, that there has been an overall increase in funding to regularly funded organisations in 2017 over 2016.

In Budget 2018 I secured an additional €3 million for the Arts Council, a 5% increase in its annual budget bringing it to €68 million. This is in addition to the €5 million increase which I secured for the Council in Budget 2017. In total, the Arts Council allocation is up 20% since 2014. These increased resources have flowed to the arts sector and are assisting the Council greatly in implementing its 10-year strategy Making Great Art Work (2016-2025).