Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

10. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide this Government's detailed plan for a national strategy in for the arts, culture and heritage; and the funding that has been allocated for its implementation. [16836/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

An overall statement of strategy for my Department for the period 2015 to 2017 has recently been prepared and will be published shortly. This statement will set out my Department’s goals and strategies for various programme areas, including the arts and heritage. Within my Department’s overall budget of €277 million for 2015, €156 million is being provided for the arts, culture and film and €39 million for heritage. In addition to my Department’s statement of strategy, I am committed to the delivery of the country's first ever national cultural policy, which is called Culture 2025. In this regard, I plan to carry out a wide ranging consultation process to ensure that all stakeholders and interested members of the public can make their views known. With this in mind, I have initiated general discussion on the process of developing the policy with a number of stakeholders, including with the council of national cultural institutions. A draft discussion paper is currently being finalised within my Department, having regard to those discussions, and I intend to publish it shortly. I look forward to substantive engagement with the arts and culture sector, the general public and other interested parties in the development of the new policy. As the purpose is to set out the high-level aims and policies in the area of culture for the period up to 2025, the issue of funding does not arise.

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The arts can often be sidelined, especially in the current economic climate of many sectors facing cuts. Those who are trying to earn a living as artists often struggle to survive and must supplement their incomes by other means. Artists who are in their 50s cannot be confident of security in their old age. What does the Minister propose to address the issue of struggling, aging artists? Has she investigated the successful models developed in other European countries?

Has the Minister looked into this? Brilliant minds fall by the wayside all too easily due to lack of support and there is little in the way of facilities to support people as they rise and progress through the arts. Where are all our young and mid-career artists?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Artists are supported through the Arts Council, but I accept the Deputy's point that some artists find it difficult to make progress.

The Culture 2025 document will protect and set out clearly the value of the arts and our culture, which is of importance. Culture 2025 aims to develop a national cultural policy which will set out high level aims and policies in the area between now and 2025. We need to understand what culture is, how it can be supported, the role of Government in developing it, how we can use social media to deliver it to everyone and how to get people involved in music, drama, poetry, film, writing and so on. It is not about how much money we need, but about how we value and support our culture. We will look at that in our consideration of the Culture 2025 policy.

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her response but I would like to know what she is doing to capture, retain and support the young talent that exists in Ireland. What is the Government doing to halt the talent drain from this State to other shores? Young people in the arts have huge potential to contribute to State revenue. What steps is the Minister taking to halt the mass export of our young talent?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In terms of young talent, we have signed the arts in education charter with the Department of Education and Skills. I got an update on this yesterday and on the interesting work that is going on, bringing people to schools to get young people involved in the arts and to show their value and how they can help young people develop as individuals and tune into their creative side. There is significant work going on between the two Departments to promote arts in education.