Sir, – I would urge Minister Brendan Howlin to think long and hard before rushing headlong into dismantling Culture Ireland (Editorial, March 7th).
In the five years since its inception, Culture Ireland has enhanced Ireland’s reputation abroad. It has done this on a budget of €4 million, with a very small number of highly efficient staff. It is one of the most bureaucracy-free organisations that I have ever dealt with (the grant to subsidise my performance in New York, with Imagine Ireland was organised in under a week).
The arts in Ireland is about the only sphere, post the Celtic Tiger collapse, which has not been tainted by fraud, illegality and cronyism. The arts, and Culture Ireland, its ambassador overseas, is a beacon of light and hope. I would urge the Minister not to extinguish this. – Yours, etc,