The National Campaign for the Arts hustings meeting in Galway today (Monday 14 Feb.) was a great opportunity for politicians to hear the views and concerns of the arts community in Galway city and county. Most welcome in these difficult times for Ireland was the positive attitude expressed for the future, and the stated determination of people working in the arts to continue to create and present art and arts events despite the challenging environment.

As was eloquently pointed out at the meeting, the arts were never easy here and difficult economic conditions are not new. Artists and performers deserve a decent living standard.

I share Fine Gael’s recognition of the intrinsic value of the arts to our society and am committed to the party’s national policy for the arts and to supporting the arts in Galway.

Our policy is the result of deep consideration of the value of the arts and the arts community’s contribution to society. Fine Gael will retain the place of the arts in government and at the cabinet table and appoint a Cultural Broker at interdepartmental level to ensure the implementation of policies. We will maintain funding for the Arts Council, the Film Board and Culture Ireland and the national Cultural Institutions. Exciting plans include identifying a landmark building already in state ownership to house a flagship Literature Centre, the establishment of an Irish arts and film channel to broadcast and archive the work of our theatres, orchestras and ensembles, festivals, traditional arts and opera as well as screening the best of Irish films and documentaries. We will work on building a more defined relationship between the arts and education.

Fine Gael looks forward to a better Ireland where decency and culture are central to daily lives.