Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Thank you, Chairman. As the new Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, I am delighted to have the opportunity to address the committee today. I see this as a valuable opportunity to set out my priorities in coming year. In the time allotted I will deal with as many issues as possible.

I will firstly address the committee’s report on utilising the arts to combat disadvantage among the young, the old and socially disadvantaged, and to encourage their greater integration and social inclusion within local communities.

First and foremost, I thank committee members for undertaking this report. It is clear that a lot of work went into it and I am particularly impressed by the number of stakeholders from across the arts that gave evidence to the committee.

The 19 recommendations are wide ranging and challenging. The key recommendations in this report focus on addressing disadvantage and essentially propose that new functions be given to me as Minister for the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, and to my Department.

Recommendation No. 1 proposes that the arts be used as a fundamental means of combating social exclusion and disadvantage. There are a number of recommendations linked to this which propose research and study into the subject of how the arts could be used to combat disadvantage in our society.

Over a third of the recommendations deal with the relationship of local authorities with various bodies, including the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, the Arts Council, and other local funding agencies.