Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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250. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she continues to fund the promotion of the arts at national and local level directly or through the agents of the Arts Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48252/17]

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.

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).

The Creative Ireland Programme, which was launched in 2017 is already yielding positive results in both rural and urban communities, with more and more people engaging with creativity than ever before. I am determined to build on this momentum in 2018 by providing funding increases to key institutions, agencies and initiatives that deliver arts, creativity and culture right across the country. The additional funds will be used to further develop the Programme to increase citizen engagement with creativity in Ireland.