Debate contribution: Arts Strategy: Budget 2026-29/2030

Debate contribution by Mr Matthew O'Toole on 26 January 2026.

MLA: Mr Matthew O'Toole
Party at the time: Social Democratic and Labour Party
Date: 26 January 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: Arts Strategy: Budget 2026-29/2030
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5340717

Text

Minister, you and your party colleagues have not been behind the door in criticising the multi-year Budget from the Finance Minister. That is fine: neither has my party, but we are the official Opposition. Shamefully, real spending on arts in this jurisdiction is by far the lowest in these islands. It has fallen by nearly half in real terms over the past decade and a half. Meanwhile, in England, in the past week or two, we have seen a £1·5 billion commitment to the arts at a UK level. Minister, you and your party are keen to talk about alignment with the rest of the UK: have you made a specific request that at least some of the Barnett consequential connected to that be devoted to arts here?

128 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Part of an exchange

This follow-up belongs to: Oral question AQO 2987/22-27.

Assessment

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