Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 29 Apr 1993

Vol. 429 No. 8

Written Answers. - Arts Officer Appointments.

Mary Harney

Ceist:

33 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the steps, if any, he intends to take to encourge local authorities to appoint arts officers in accordance with the commitment given in the Programme for Partnership Government 1993-1977.

Frances Fitzgerald

Ceist:

78 Ms. F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht if he intends to support the appointment of arts officers throughout the country to specifically promote artistic endeavours by women.

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

Tógfaidh mé Ceist Uimh. 33 agus Ceist Scríofa Uimh. 78 le chéile.

At present there are 14 Arts Officer posts in local authorities. I view these officers as important elements in the development of the Arts throughout the regions and I fully support the efforts of An Chomhairle Ealaíon to develop and increase their number. However, it was in recognition of the fact that progress in extending the network of local authority Arts Officers has been relatively slow that theProgramme for a Partnership Government 1993-97 states that “each local authority will be encouraged to appoint an Arts Officer with requisite staff organised in an Arts Department”. I intend to enter into discussions with the Minister for the Environment and An Chomhairle Ealaíon to establish how this commitment can be most effectively implemented.

As regards the role which local authority Arts Officers can play in promoting artistic endeavours by women, I am prepared to see how best the recommendations of the Commission on the Status of Women can be implemented for the benefit of women artists. I will be happy to address the Deputy's specific concerns, as they apply to local authority arts officers, in the context of these discussions.