Ms Tania Banotti:

I will take the query on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. Serendipitously, I was talking to the wonderful Ms Catherine Gallagher, the county librarian and Creative Ireland co-ordinator, only yesterday. I am not plámásing the Deputy when I say the cultural policy of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown is a beacon for the country.

Regarding the craft sector, we have been working with the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland. The council is not often mentioned, possibly because it falls under the Department responsible for business. We have been working on a campaign called Get Ireland Making, whereby the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland worked with a lot of craft makers. We offered support in learning how to produce online content. They made a series of videos and webinars and facilitated discussions through which ordinary members of the public, if we can use that dreaded term, could learn about craft skills and try out crafts for themselves, all the while using resources available at home.

The initiative for older people has not been announced yet. I was speaking to Ms Gallagher and I indicated that Dún Laoghaire is eligible. Unfortunately, the funding is not infinite and the requirement from the HSE and Healthy Ireland is that we must work with the age-friendly initiatives in the counties in question. The idea is one of trying to knit the creativity aspect with the age-friendly aspect. This may be a watershed moment for the whole area covering the arts, creativity, health and well-being. We are really hopeful that, in the new mental health strategy being prepared by the HSE, the importance of culture and creativity will be front and centre.