A vibrant economy and open healthy democracy depends on a diverse, enriched, creative and cultural atmosphere. Ms Jane Daly, the programme manager for Galway 2020, has said with confidence that the award to Galway of the European Capital of Culture is for the city and county of Galway and that the most extraordinary capital of culture programme Europe has ever seen will be delivered by the city.

In Galway she has a lot about which to be confident. I had the pleasure of living there where I studied for a course in film and television and played in sessions across the town. It comes as no surprise that its cultural landscape has been recognised by the European Union and that it will be European Capital of Culture 2020.

The glass is half-full for Galway. However, we were disappointed to hear this month of the closure of Cinemobile. It was a powerful resource in the past 16 years. It brought a mobile cinema experience to community projects, festivals and schools across the island, North and South. The board of Cinemobile took significant steps to increase commercial revenue to fill the gaps left by constant erosion of public funding, but they did not prove to be sufficient. It was a small one-of-a-kind, not-for-profit organisation that brought the magic of cinema to communities across Ireland. Compare the benefits of Netflix to the benefits of communal viewing on social occasions. The National Theatre of Scotland has an innovative model of theatre without walls. The Scottish equivalent of the Abbey Theatre does not have a permanent public space and the result is a more democratic form of art, a greater outreach and a more diverse experience for its society. Bringing art outside the confines of four sterile walls can lead to public art in phone boxes, at bus stops, in gardens, schools and community centres. For the past 16 years, Cinemobile did just that and guaranteed a diverse experience for our society. I commend the founders of that not-for-profit organisation for their work during the past 16 years. The Irish Film Board which is based in Galway has had its budget cut by 50% since 2008. We have a real opportunity to match the Danish model and build a real indigenous film and television industry, despite the 50% cut. To date, the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, has not come to the Chamber to debate the arts. I respectfully ask the Leader to consider asking her to come before us at the earliest opportunity to outline her Department's budget plans.