Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----a proposal to decide on yet.

That will require the consent of the European Council, the European Parliament and each individual country. I do not disagree that it would be in our interests to have an independent objective reflection on the proposals made to date and what might be negotiated during the course of the year.

On the Deputy's comment about the arts, we had a Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for the past five years. We must recall the state of the public finances in 2011, but we are now in a different position. Obviously, yesterday's announcement that Ireland had jumped nine places to become the seventh most competitive economy in the world speaks for itself. I note that the unemployment rate has dropped to 7.8%, down from 15% plus only a few years ago. It is, therefore, heading in the right direction. It means that, if the economy continues to be managed carefully by the Minister for Finance and the Government, in the next few years the growth generated can be of benefit to the areas mentioned. I do not accept that because we have expanded the Department with responsibility for the arts and heritage by the addition of regional and rural affairs one cannot have creativity, imagination and participation in the arts, heritage and culture throughout the country, which is what we need. I do not accept for one moment that the arts, creativity and imaginative concepts are the preserve of a few. Whether it is in north-west Donegal, south-west Kerry or south-east Wexford, people in every area of the country should be entitled to participate and avail of the imagination range of young people. That is why we need further supports through having arts officers in every local authority area. I see the concept of regional and rural affairs development as part of the expansion of the arts.

For the information of Deputy Micheál Martin, there has been more funding made available in that area than for quite a number of years and we will try to hold on to as much of it as we can.

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