Arts Council increase ‘will be put to very good use’

THE Arts Council was the big winner in the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism’s spending plans, as minister John O’Donoghue paraded a 19% increase in the council’s budget, giving it €72 million to spend next year.

Arts Council director Mary Cloake said the extra money was “a major vote of confidence” in the arts community and a recognition of the contribution the arts made to Irish society.

“The funds will be put to very good use,” she said.

Overall spending in the department will grow by 10% to €352m eclipsing the 7% average across all departments. The minister said it was “an extremely good day” for the department and that the €100m allocated to the arts in total next year would be “money well spent.”

“It will yield a rich return now and in the future,” he said.

Tourism spending will go up by 7% to €134m with tourism development agency Fáilte Ireland’s budget going up €6m to €71m and the Tourism Marketing Fund being hiked 12% to €40m.

Fáilte Ireland chief executive Shaun Quinn said: “Our job in 2006 will be to make sure this record level of funding benefits tourism businesses, and particularly those in the regions.”

The money devoted to promoting tourism showed the government recognised the €2 billion generated by tourism for the economy each year, said Mr O’Donoghue.

He added that he had set “very ambitious” targets for the industry here and aimed to see visitor numbers doubling by 2012.

Spending on sport will top €150m for the first time, which Mr O’Donoghue said was “very significant” and compared favourably with the €17m earmarked for sport in 1997.

The minister said the extra money would boost the number of people participating in sporting activity and that there would be an emphasis on encouraging children to become more active. Sport had a major role to play in tackling obesity and drug abuse problems, he said.

Irish Sports Council chief executive John Treacy welcomed the news: “The increased funding will enable us to continue to implement our strategic objectives, further our participation strategy, and enhance our supports to high-performance sport, including the development of an Irish Institute of Sport.”