NCFA Campaigning gets results

The Arts are a political priority
After many months, your representations to public representatives and the NCFA campaigning effort have yielded real results. Next week, the arts are at the top of the political agenda. After a number of meetings between the NCFA, Politicians and Department Officials, the arts and culture will be the subject of debates in both the Houses of the Oireachtas. 

Your support is critical
Next week is an important one for the arts. Arts and cultural issues will be debated in both the Dáil and the Seanad. NCFA Steering Committee members are also meeting with Minister Deenihan in advance of the presentation of his Department’s Public Service Reform proposals on Friday next. We need your continued support to ensure these valuable opportunities to influence the arts debate and policy are used to our best advantage.

Calls to action
We need you to act:

• Mail or call your local TD
  Please mail or call your local TD. Contact Senators too. Emphasise your immediate concerns about the proposed changes to the National Cultural Institutions arising from Public Service Reform proposals. We’d also ask that you raise your other concerns about arts policy or lack thereof, the importance of the arts in education as well as the social and cultural tourism value of the arts in every community across the country.
  Email text here. 
• Fill Leinster House
  We urge you, colleagues, family and friends to fill the public galleries in Leinster House for next week’s debates. 
• Dáil Éireann debate
  Private Members’ motion debates
  Tuesday 26th June, 7pm to 8.30pm
  Wednesday 27th June, 7pm to 8.30pm 
• Seanad Éireann debate
  Wednesday 27th June, 4.45pm 

You can arrange admittance to Leinster House by contacting Sarah Kelly in Senator Fiach Mac Conghail’s office. Mail your name, indicating the debates you’d like to attend, to sarah.kelly@oireachtas.ie. Encourage colleagues, friends and family to do the same.

We appreciate all your support and hope to see you at Leinster House. Many thanks again and we’ll keep you posted of developments next week.

Sent on behalf of the steering committee:Tania Banotti, Valerie Connor, Loughlin Deegan, Vincent Dempsey, Jack Harte, Gerard Howlin, Fiach Mac Conghail, Janice McAdam, Niamh O’Donnell, Elizabeth Whyte