Belfast theatre needs £300K of public money to stay open - @basilmccrea and @frankshivers debate

We've been talking about the pressures on budgets for Stormont departments, so has funding for arts projects become something we can no longer afford? The BBC revealed how Belfast's Metropolitan Arts Centre aka The MAC - needed emergency funding "to keep the doors open until the end of October". Belfast City Council paid £40,000 to address that issue, but the MAC has now asked for an additional £300,000 of public money before the end of March. However, the Department for Communities - hasn't yet approved the MAC's request - in the absence of a minister. With constant reminders that our health service in particular is struggling - is it time to curb arts spending? Vinny spoke to former MLA and arts lover Basil McCrea and the businessman and NI Conservative member Frank Shivers.