The Inquiry was set up in 1974 by An Chomhairle Ealaí­on (the Arts Council) and the Gulbenkian Foundation to clarify the current situation in the various arts in the Irish Republic and how they are organised and financed, and to make recommendations with a view to helping the Arts Council to formulate its future programmes, to assess its priorities and to allocate its funds in the most positive and effective way; also to help the Irish Government to take the best steps to ensure that the arts in the Republic flourish.

The report provides a detailed account of the Inquiry’s findings and recommendations, with extensive appendices revealing the current provision for the arts in each of the local authorities in the Republic.