Vol. 495 No. 7
557 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the plans, if any, she has to provide the necessary finance to enable The National Arts and Disability Centre to continue services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21079/98]
572 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the National Arts and Disability Centre is proposing to close as a result of lack of commitment of funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21182/98]
578 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if she has received correspondence recently from the National Arts Disability Centre, APIC, 27 Great Strand Street, Dublin 1, regarding the work of the centre and its provision for access to the arts for disabled people; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the centre is due to close in November 1998; if her attention has further been drawn to the concern expressed by a number of disabled people; her views on whether the work of the centre over the last number of years has been a valuable asset; her views on the future of this centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21441/98]
583 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if she will report on her meeting regarding funding with representatives of the National Arts Disability Centre which will have to close from November 1998 due to the absence of adequate financial support from her Department and the Arts Council; and if she will make a statement on the future of this centre. [21989/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 557, 572, 578 and 583 together.
I have received correspondence recently from APIC — Awareness, Publishing, Information, Communication, the National Arts and Disability Centre, with regard to the proposed closure of its operations this month.
I met representatives of APIC in September 1997 and again in May this year at their request as they wished to provide me with information on their activities. On the issue of funding I stressed to them that the revenue funding for arts organisations is not a matter for my Department but for An Chomhairle Ealaíon — The Arts Council. I advised them that An Chomhairle is an independent autonomous body which has statutory independence and that I have no function in its assessment or decisions on individual applications for grant assistance.
