Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their enlightening presentation. The questions I will ask are based on the fact that the witnesses operate at the cutting edge of the promotion of Irish culture internationally. I want to get the witnesses' wisdom and observations on a couple of things. Video games were mentioned. I refer to what we are trying to do to drive job creation and innovation in our regions. We recently discovered the power of remote working, which was somewhat forced upon us, and we are now drawing conclusions as to the power it can have in the future. If the witnesses were in a position to shape the Irish landscape for the promotion and development of video game creation outside our larger urban centres, how would they go about doing that or are we destined to have that happening in our urban centres? Is there a creative ecosystem that only allows it to happen in larger urban centres?

Ms McGrane spoke about sustainable tourism and I am wondering where the crossover point where culture evolves into sustainable tourism is? What is the nexus whereby we can promote sustainable tourism? Again, I would argue for initiatives like Ireland's Hidden Heartlands. I was recently cycling around north Roscommon and south Leitrim, which have stunning landscapes that are not well promoted, and those areas do not avail of the opportunities available in tourism internationally. If you look at what happened in Loop Head over the past ten years or so, a group down there has won numerous awards for its sustainable tourism offering. How can this programme support the development of other such models around the country? What sort of interaction, if any, happens between programme directors like our guests and our local authority arts officers throughout the country?

From the witnesses' engagement at EU level, is there a country or countries that are seen as the exemplars in how best to maximise the opportunities presenting to this programme. If so, what are they doing that we are not doing? If Ireland is not an exemplar, what support would the witnesses need, as individuals, to ensure that it can be an exemplar?