Vol. 444 No. 5
7 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the co-operation, if any, that exists between his Department and the Department of the Environment in relation to the arts, culture and heritage agenda and the role of local authorities in the promotion of that agenda.
21 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the co-operation, if any, that exists between his Department and the Department of the Environment in relation to the arts, culture and heritage agenda and the role of local authorities in the promotion of that agenda.
Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 7 agus Uimh. 21 le chéile.
My Department and An Chomhairle Ealaíon have very good relations with the Department of the Environment in relation to the arts, culture and heritage agenda and the role of local authorities in its promotion. An example of this relationship is the engagement by local authorities throughout the country of specialist arts officers whose salaries are funded 50 per cent by An Chomhairle Ealaíon and 50 per cent by the relevant local authority. In addition, An Chomhairle makes available programme grants to local authorities to supplement their own funds for the promotion of the arts. At present 20 local authorities avail of this programme.
I understand from An Chomhairle Ealaíon that it has requested three-year arts development plans from all local authorities and that when these plans have been received and assessed, it is hoped to enter into agreements with local authorities for arts promotion over the next number of years.
An Chomhairle Ealaíon also has close relations with Temple Bar Properties Limited, which is a public sector development operating under the auspices of the Department of the Environment and there is a number of cultural projects being developed by Temple Bar Properties Limited which have the support of An Chomhairle Ealaíon.
I wish to inform the Deputy that, in addition to the foregoing, my colleague the Minister for the Environment has recently written to me suggesting the establishment of a small group comprising our two Departments, Temple Bar Properties Limited and An Chomhairle Ealaíon to look into the 1 per cent capital scheme for artistic features currently administered by him. I welcome this approach from the Minister for the Environment and I propose to issue a favourable response in the matter shortly.
It is also important to say I am pleased that many of the new public facilities funded by the Department of the Environment and operated by local authorities allow for exhibition areas for the showing of visual arts. In particular, the growing role of county libraries in this regard is notable and acceptable.
I am glad that the Minister for the Environment wrote to the Minister recently in respect of an aspect of this matter. Does the Minister accept that local authorities have a key role in promoting the arts within the regions? Does he also accept that there is a great disparity between the provision made for the arts in cities and in the regions, particularly the midlands, and that it would not be unreasonable to ascribe this to the fact that local authorities in the regions are not as active as they might be in promoting the arts? I tabled a question to the Minister for the Environment on 21 June 1994, midsummer's day, the response to which was as follows——
I am anxious to assist the Deputy but quotations at Question Time are not in order.
I will paraphrase it. The Minister for the Environment, Deputy Smith, said he had no information on the number of local authorities which produced cultural development plans and that he did not have formal discussions with them in relation to arts-culture matters generally.
The Deputy is clearly circumventing the ruling of the Chair.
I am paraphrasing.
It is evident that the Deputy is quoting.
Does the Minister accept that the Department of the Environment does not provide the same level of support for the arts as the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht and that there is enormous scope for closer co-operation between both Departments? What special efforts is he making to promote activity in this direction?
It would be self-serving to follow the road of vanity suggested by the Deputy and pay tribute to my Department. There have been good communications and initiatives in recent times between the Department of the Environment and my Department. I can see how different Departments will have to co-operate positively if we are to achieve what is contained in the joint programme. That is the reason the letter from the Minister for the Environment was welcomed by me. I intend to reply positively and not to lose time in implementing it.
How many local authorities have appointed arts officers during the past 12 months?
I have given that information.
Does the Minister accept that an arts officer in a local authority region is a focus point for progress and development of the arts within that region and that local authorities which have not appointed arts officers are doing less well in terms of the promotion and development of arts and culture in their regions?
Deputy Quill asked a very good question to which I think she knows the answer, which is that local authorities which have not appointed arts officers damage the arts infrastructure of their respective areas and should be encouraged to appoint such officers if they have not already done so. In relation to the three-year plan to which the Deputy referred, whenever a local authority with an arts officer is committed to the arts and prepares a three-year plan, one can see the shape of the territory. There are local authorities without arts officers who may engage in a voluntary effort to overcome that omission, but it is still not satisfactory. Furthermore, there are areas in which the people have cultural rights and deserve the provision of arts, but they may not have an arts officer or strong voluntary activity and, worst of all, no buildings. Therefore, there are all these different combinations. When I investigate the expenditure of the Structural Funds I will look at the problem in terms of that complexity of different needs. Again, in answer to Deputy Quill, it always was — and is now more than ever — in the interests of local authorities to appoint arts officers and have them working on development plans.
In an earlier question the Minister referred to the problems of transferring works of art from national institutions to other, separate buildings. Specifically in relation to libraries, which as the Minister will know is one of my hobbyhorses, has he been in touch with his colleague, the Minister for the Environment, about the need to ensure adequate funding of public libraries as they play a major role in the cultural life of local communities? Has a programme been drawn up in this respect as most of the institutions to which national pieces of art or artefacts could be transferred are likely to be owned or controlled by local authorities? Will he negotiate or devise a scheme with the Minister for the Environment for upgrading these facilities to enable the transfer of pieces of art and artefacts on loan?
To save time, I shall be delighted to communicate further with the Minister for the Environment following Deputy De Rossa's suggestion, one which I support. Since a library is a public cultural space, if it is possible for such space to be used beyond reading, its multi-purpose usage would be ideal. I note the Deputy accepts it is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment. I have indicated my views on the crucial importance of libraries to local communities and will have no difficulty in communicating further with my Ministerial colleague outlining the Deputy's view.
I hope we are on the eve of spending the largest amount of Structural Funds on infrastructural projects nationwide. In that respect will the Minister say whether he had any commitment from the Minister for the Environment that the scheme, enabling 1 per cent of the capital cost of a project to be expended on the provision of a work of art, will be deployed in the case of every project funded from Structural Funds? Does he have the commitment of the Minister for the Environment to encourage local authorities to make maximum usage of that very good scheme enabling artists to work in their regions and local authorities to provide public works of art in their respective areas which they were unable to fund previously?
The small working group will be beneficial and it is better to allow it to examine the scheme first because there have been different experiences. Positive initiatives have been taken by different local authorities which might well merit extension across the scheme. For example, I am aware that some local authorities sought permission to use the 1 per cent to obtain the services of an adviser on how to use it across a wider canvas. I believe the working group will approach it like that. In addition, I will be endeavouring to ensure that as we spend this exciting amount of money wisely in relation to the arts we endeavour to observe this 1 per cent criterion. I am very anxious that the working group meets — certainly I am cooperating with it — and that it will review the scheme as quickly as possible so that, if improvements prove necessary, they can become the subject of further talks between the Minister for the Environment and myself.
