In 2012, Government approved the inclusion of a review of the Arts Council over the period 2009 to 2012 as part of its approved programme of value for money and policy reviews (VFMPR). The review commenced in September 2013 and was overseen by a Steering Committee with representatives from the Department, the Arts Council, the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform, Foreign Affairs and Trade and Justice and Equality. The committee was chaired by Professor John O’Hagan, Professor of Economics at Trinity College, University of Dublin. The review used a programme logic model as the framework for the evaluation, assessing the relevance of the Arts Council’s objectives as well as analysing its inputs, activities and outputs. The review concluded with an assessment of the approaches available for the measurement of the societal outcomes of the Arts Council’s work. The review noted in particular the methodological challenges for evaluating the effectiveness of public investment in the arts, as well as the limited availability of data for such evaluation in an Irish context.

http://www.ahg.gov.ie/app/uploads/2015/09/value-for-money-and-policy-review-of-the-arts-council1.pdf