Mr. Ray Yeates:

To answer the Senator's question about what specifically could the committee do, one should start to embed the arts outside the arts into agencies, such as the HSE, Tusla and local development organisations. Some of the most valuable conversations we have are with people outside the arts. If developers have to respond to the 5% requirement for creative and cultural, they often come to the office and ask what is this and how do they do it. One can have all kinds of amazing conversations. One should ring people from outside the arts into the arts. The function of most arts officers is to act developmentally. One should provide budget resources and support and a mandate to go and engage together, and that will really grow. For example, we were involved in projects around hip-hop and suicide prevention that were funded by the HSE. This is the kind of place the committee needs to go.