Arts Funding.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 January 2010

Wednesday, 20 January 2010

Questions (186)

Noel Ahern

Question:

237 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the annual grant awarded by him or with expenditure from his Department to the Abbey Theatre, Dublin; the reason, in this time of high unemployment, the Abbey is letting staff go and outsourcing work to the UK; if he will prevent same; if these positions have involved constructing sets previously carried out internally in their workshops will be retained; if he will introduce some joined up thinking for the national theatre in order that its attention is drawn to other Departments involved in employment creation and retention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2345/10]

Written answers

Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism (Deputy Martin Cullen)

Funding for current expenditure by the Abbey Theatre is provided by the Arts Council. The amount of this funding is a matter for the Arts Council which is statutorily independent and I have no direct day to day role in its funding decisions. Similarly, the day to day operations of the Abbey Theatre, and any decisions made in that regard, are a matter for the Board and management of the Abbey which operate independently of my Department.