Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 Apr 1993

Vol. 429 No. 8

Written Answers. - Arts Projects Funding.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

82 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht if he will take steps to ensure adequate co-ordination exists between capital expenditure from national lottery funding and other arrangements for funding of arts projects.

Minister for Arts. Culture and the Gaeltacht (Mr. M. Higgins)

I can assure the Deputy that I am fully conscious of the need for strategic and coherent planning in the development of the arts. Such planning is vital if we are to maximise the benefits accruing from available funding be it sourced from the national lottery or elsewhere. The Programme for a Partnership Government 1993-97 makes provision for the following innovative and important planning initiatives:

The Arts Council will be asked to operate on a co-ordinated three yearly plan for funding of the arts, as part of that planning there will be a requirement for improved co-ordination between capital and current funding of arts projects;

funding of the arts by local authorities will be on a planned basis;

local authorities will be required to produce a cultural development plan to guide planned priorities for arts funding;

the regional authorities envisaged in our local government reform plan will co-ordinate decisions on major items of expenditure e.g. theatres.

I propose to ensure that these innovative planning initiatives will be implemented in consultation with the relevant Ministers. Moreover, I envisage that, over time, my Department will play an increasingly important co-ordinating and planning role in complementing the activities of the national cultural institutions and relevant bodies.