24/06/2016

Fianna Fáil Call On Govt To Increase Arts Funding

Fianna Fáil has called on the government to ensure increased funding for the Arts.

Making the call, TD Declan Breathnach highlighted that arts funding across Ireland has been reduced by 50%.

"In 2015, the Arts Council provided €300,000 of funding to the Arts community in Louth, however this is almost half of what was previously received," he said. "For every €1 that Louth County Council invests in the arts sector, it creates another €4.70 in return. This money is directly fed back into the local area.

"My party and I are committed to protecting and supporting the Arts community. Furthermore, Fianna Fáil used its Dáil time this week to highlight the importance of the Arts sector in Ireland. The Private Members motion, which was debated yesterday, focuses on the main issues facing the arts community.

"The Arts are vital to the fabric of Irish life. We have a rich Arts history in Ireland, from Yeats and Kavanagh to Roddy Doyle and organisations such as Comhaltas.

"We must do all that is necessary to nurture and maintain this rich history, it is essential that the government increase investment in the sector," concluded Deputy Breathnach.

(MH/JP)

Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

27 October 2014
Funding For Cultural Sector Announced
Heather Humphreys TD, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, has said €25,000 is to be set aside in support for Business to Arts.
04 August 2017
Capital Funding Announced For Voluntary Arts
Irish culture in the voluntary sector is to get a major boost. The Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD, announced funding of almost €750,000 for more than 60 local arts organisations around the country.
29 January 2016
Funding Secured For Investment In Arts And Culture Centres
Funding of €9 million has been announced for investment schemes for arts and cultural centres, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys, has announced. The scheme will run over the next three years and is focussed on upgrading the existing stock of arts and cultural centres around the country.
22 January 2016
€400,000 Funding Secured For Arts Organisations
More than €400,000 in funding has been secured for arts organisations, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys. The funding is being allocated as part of the Department's Small Capital Grants Scheme and will be used to support arts groups and venues. More than 60 organisations will benefit, with maximum grants of €10,000.
18 December 2015
14% Increase In Arts Funding For 2016
The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, has announced that an additional €5 million in funding has been secured for her department for 2016. The new funding now brings the department's total budget for the year to €315m, up 14% on 2015.