Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his kind words. It was a privilege and pleasure to work with him on the previous arts committee in a very collaborative way. I hope the new arts and culture committee will look at this commitment in the programme for Government as a priority. It is welcome that the Minister has indicated that his Department will carry out assessments as to how this culture card will operate in practice. I appreciate that there may be a cost to the State but that is why I also suggested that we look at Cyprus. We can look at a partnership approach. I have no doubt there would be a number of potential commercial partners interested in doing this.

I acknowledge the role of the national cultural institutions. I was in the National Gallery the other day and saw its continuing programme of engaging young people but this is about so much more. It needs to be done on a regional basis throughout the country. Whether it is young people in Wicklow and Wexford, which I represent, or in Mayo, which the Minister of State represents, they need to have access within their communities to artistic facilities and venues for concerts, gigs, dance and opera. I think venues will respond very positively to that.

We can learn from the experience in other European countries. As the Minister of State has outlined, considerable work is being done in other areas. This is a very strong commitment to young people and to the arts in the programme for Government. I ask that it be a priority for the committee and that the Minister agree to come before the committee in due course to outline progress on this matter, particularly in advance of the Estimates process, and give his thoughts on how this youth culture card can develop.

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