I suppose it is the atmosphere prevailing that encourages people to take such an historical view. When I began in 1993 the funding for the Arts Council stood at £10.1 million and now stands at £20.8 million. Whether one portrays that through a small or large poster it remains more than double the original figure.
When I decided in partnership with the Arts Council to establish an arts plan, an estimated cost had to be put on its implementation. It was emphasised that the delivery of such an arts plan in an adequate manner would require funding of £26 million. As part of the negotiations with the Department of Finance, it became possible to implement the plan decided by the Arts Council over a five-year period. That is what I did, there is nothing vague about that. There was one interruption in its implementation, which needs to be stressed, which is that in the dying days of a minority Government in November 1994 there was a savage cut of some 13 per cent in the allocation to An Chomhairle Ealaíon for that year from £13.2 million to £11.6 million. I was not then Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, I had been replaced by the present leader of the Opposition, Deputy Bertie Ahern. That was the only time between 1993 and today that, instead of obtaining the increased funding sought, the Arts Council, was fired into reverse. I must assume it is somewhat cynical for any Member to point out that we are reaching the target of £26 million, from a base of £10.1 million, in five rather than three years.
In regard to my legislative programme, I am very happy at the amount of legislation passed and look forward to introducing other measures later this year.