Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 March 2013
186. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will examine the adjustification process whereby an organisation (details supplied) in County Kerry was refused a grant by the Arts Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15686/13]
View answer187. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding funding in respect of an organisation (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15737/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 187 together.
Primary responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. In 2013, the Arts Council will receive an allocation from my Department of some €60.7 million in current, capital and EU Presidency funding. I am very well aware of the important role played by the organisation to which the Deputies refer in promoting a varied arts and culture programme. Under the Arts Act 2003, however, the provision of funding is a matter in the sole remit of the Arts Council and I am precluded by statute from intervening in the Council's decisions on funding. There are, of course, other sources of funding and, in the case of venues, many arts organisations throughout the State receive funding for the administration and maintenance of their venues from their local authorities.
If the organisation in question were to seek to increase its programming expenditure, it could consider applying for funding under my Department's Philanthropy Initiative on condition that it is prepared to raise matching private sector funding. This initiative is designed to encourage philanthropic sponsorship and endowment funding of the arts from private sources and to maximise investment in the arts by unlocking many multiples of the funding put up by the taxpayer. It also provides an incentive to arts organisations to proactively seek new and multi-annual relationships with sponsors which deliver private sector financial support, thereby increasing overall funding available to the arts. Details in this regard are available on my Department's website at www.ahg.gov.ie and at the following link: http://www.ahg.gov.ie/en/PressReleases/2013/February2013PressReleases/htmltext,16873,en.html. The application form is available at:
http://www.ahg.gov.ie/en/Arts/GrantsandFunding/.
