Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 January 2016
249. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to set out the amount of funding spent on local authority arts programmes, by programme, in each of the years 2007 to 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1737/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not collect statistics on local authority arts programmes. Under the Arts Act 2003, primary responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. The Arts Council is the main channel of State current expenditure on the arts and will receive over €60 million in 2016. I understand that some information relating to local authority expenditure on the arts is available in the Arts Council and I have asked the Council to provide statistical information to the Deputy.
