Ba mhaith liom buiochas a gabháil leis an Aire as ucht teacht isteach chun páirt a glacadh sa diospóireacht tábhachtach seo. The resignation of three members of the Arts Council appointed by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands has been the subject of much media coverage and analysis in the past few weeks. Opinions differ on how the crisis at the Arts Council emerged. There are various opinions regarding how much responsibility the Minister should bear for the controversy. The Minister appointed the council and is solely responsible for its composition and membership. In this respect, she is responsible for the discord and disharmony between the members of the council.
There is a consensus that whatever difficulties existed on the council, more fundamental issues are at stake, including the appropriateness of the current council mode, particularly its size and its perceived failure to adhere to a well-defined strategy as opposed to one based on short-term considerations. The Minister stated she will introduce legislation to reform the 1951 and 1973 arts Acts. However, as we are all aware, legislation takes time. In the meantime, the Minister must be held accountable for the performance of the council and must ensure it is in a position to perform its duties effectively. That responsibility is hers alone.
The powers to which this motion refers, under section 13(7) of the Arts Act, 1973, are drastic. They empower the Minister to appoint and dismiss members of the council. Obviously, they should be used with the utmost caution. However, they exist for one purpose – to give the Minister the power to ensure the Arts Council can function effectively. Considerable evidence suggests this is not the case. The resignation of three members which brought the crisis in the Arts Council into public view was caused, to some extent, by the excessive number of meetings. There were a reported 90 meetings last year. The resignation letter of one of the members of the council which found its way into the public domain cites concern about the role being played by the board, arising from administrative difficulties. These issues must be urgently addressed by the Minister if her reputation and that of the Arts Council are to be restored.
The controversy has affected the officers and support staff who carry out the daily work of the council. The staff are dedicated and hard-working. It would be unfair and unrealistic to expect them to function effectively with such a cloud hanging over the council. Governance of the arts is extremely important. The arts have provided a creative, vibrant and exciting dynamic in Irish culture. Not only have Irish artists generated new revenue for the State in recent years but they have also succeeded in projecting a modern image of this country across the world. I wish the new chairman and members of the board well. The onus is on the Minister to put right whatever is wrong.