Private support of the arts is very important and the Government continues to support this through tax incentives and other initiatives. In this regard, my Department introduced small philanthropy schemes in 2012 and 2013, both of which have helped to encourage arts organisations to build partnerships with potential sponsors. My Department also operates small capital grants schemes, which require to be co-funded from private or philanthropic sources. The Arts Council operates the RAISE programme, which seeks to enhance fund-raising skills in arts organisations with a view to reducing the sector’s dependency on funding from the taxpayer and moving it more towards the business sector. These initiatives assist the sector in securing philanthropic contributions to the arts in Ireland.