Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 March 2017
663. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the details of the charge to the Exchequer of a 10% increase to the arts budget of her Department. [13278/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2017 Revised Estimates for Public Services was published in December by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and are available on that Department’s website at http://www.per.gov.ie/en/rev/.
As is shown in the published figures, the 2017 allocation to Arts, Culture and Film is €158.261m and most of this is allocated to the agencies under the aegis of the Department. Details of the expenditure outturns are published each year in the Appropriation Account and these are published by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General at www.audgen.gov.ie.
It should be noted that in Budget 2017 I secured significant additional funding for the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board. The increase in the Arts Council's allocation in 2017 is €5 million, or 8%, and will assist the Council greatly in implementing its 10-year strategy Making Great Art Work (2016-2025). I also secured an increase of €2 million for the Irish Film Board, representing a 14% increase in its annual budget.
Budget 2017 also includes:
- increased funding for all of the National Cultural Institutions;
- an increase of €1 million for Culture Ireland;
- an additional €1 million to the Heritage Council; and
- funding of €5m for the implementation of the Creative Ireland Programme.
