AQW 486/07

Mrs Naomi Long
Alliance Party
East Belfast

Tabled Date: 05/06/2007
Answered On Date: 18/06/2007
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what steps will be taken to ensure that investment in arts and culture in Northern Ireland is increased to a more sustainable level; and whether consideration will be given to funding parity with neighbouring regions.

Answer:

I recognise that funding, for the arts in particular, in Northern Ireland lags behind the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. This deficit has accumulated over many years.

I will be considering funding for arts and culture along with other priorities as I negotiate the Department's budget for the period 2008/09 to 2010/11 in the Comprehensive Spending Review