Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The aim of the new national cultural policy, Culture 2025, is to set out the high level aims and policies of the Government in this area for the period until 2025. It will seek to reinforce the crucial role of culture in society by supporting the cultural sector and providing conditions that will allow the sector to develop and flourish across all sectors of society. Culture 2025 will seek to reflect the modern multicultural Ireland. The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht published a discussion document on 8 August last to facilitate public consultation on the proposed policy. This was followed up by holding a series of local workshops to enable people across the country to have their views heard. Meetings took place in Cavan, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Kilkenny and Dublin. I attended the Dublin event, which followed the participative world café model and was held under the open policy debates programme in line with the Civil Service renewal plan. I am pleased to inform the House that this event, which was held in the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, was a great occasion with a high level of engagement from those attending. I thank all those who participated in the various consultation events, which were attended by over 600 people, and those who were involved in organising and running them. More than 200 written submissions were received before the closing date of 31 October last. The feedback from the regional meetings and the submissions are being examined in detail as part of the process of drafting the cultural policy. An expert group and a steering group established by my Department and comprising a range of cultural stakeholders are also making an input into the process of consultation and drafting. I intend that Culture 2025 will be a high level and living document that will set out the framework of cultural policy for the next decade. I propose to submit it to the Government shortly with the intention of publishing it early in the new year.

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