Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2017
95. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the actions her Department has taken further to the meeting she held with the Arts Council on 20 October 2015 to implement the money and policy review of the council; the discussions her Department has had since then with the council regarding the implementation of the money and policy review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27512/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn September 2015, I published the first value for money policy review of the Arts Council. It was undertaken by the Department’s Evaluation Unit under the guidance of an expert Steering Committee chaired by Dr. John O’Hagan, Professor of Economics at Trinity College.
The review commended the Arts Council for its response to the economic crisis by significantly reducing administration costs; overhauling its organisational structures; and developing on its RAISE initiative, which helps arts organisations to diversify funding streams.
The review also highlighted the need for the Council to expand its efforts to improve transparency around its decision making; give greater consideration to addressing the issue of regional balance in accessing the arts; to engage more with stakeholders and establish the evidence-base for the societal benefits of its work.
The Department has encouraged the Arts Council to implement the recommendations and in this regard, the Council dedicated specific resources to implementing the review. In July 2016, the Arts Council published Great Art Work: Three-Year Plan 2017–2019 which specifically addressed VFM recommendations within the context of delivering the three-year plan having mapped the recommendations from the VFMR against the Three-Year Plan.
Many of the recommendations have already been implemented and it is expected that the process will be complete by 2018. The requirements of the implementation process are incorporated into the annual programme delivery agreements between the Department and the Council. In the context, the Department discusses the implementation process with the Arts Council at its regular liaison meetings.
