Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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50. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to develop a national cultural strategy up to 2025. [19861/17]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I want to ask the Minister if she would agree that the prospering of the arts and the arts community in Ireland will be vital in the context of the challenges posed to the whole country and island as a consequence of Brexit. What proposals does the Minister have to, for instance, support artists who in many cases earn less than 70% of the average wage? Does she foresee artists having a minimum wage or living wage? We talked about this previously. Where does that fit into the strategy?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I understood that the Deputy wanted to speak about the national cultural strategy.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Absolutely.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Last July, I published-----

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Sorry-----

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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-----the draft framework policy, Culture 2025 – Éire Ildánach, which was submitted to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for input. I understand that the committee is currently preparing a report on the draft framework policy which I will consider when received. I have also received submissions from various organisations on the draft document. Following receipt of the report from the committee, it is my intention to finalise the policy. In the meantime, I believe that it is important to continue momentum of delivery of the priorities set out in the framework policy and to build on the positive legacy of the Ireland 2016 centenary programme.

To that effect, on 8 December, the Taoiseach and I launched the Creative Ireland programme, Clár Éire Ildánach, as the Government’s legacy programme arising out of the Ireland 2016 centenary programme and as the main implementation vehicle for the priorities identified in Culture 2025. The Creative Ireland programme is a high-level, high-ambition, all-of-Government initiative to bring creativity in the life of the nation into the mainstream. My Department is now working to implement the Creative Ireland programme with partners across Government and other key stakeholders. This includes an ambitious year 1 programme to deliver ten initiatives by the end of 2017. Details of the programme can be found on creative.ireland.ie.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Minister refers to the document and previous initiatives being based on the very successful 2016 programme. The Minister will recall that I was a very strong supporter, as Tánaiste, of investment into the rebuilding of the national cultural institutions. I argued strongly that the capital initiative for funding which existed in the years running up to 2016 - and saw the restoration of part of the National Gallery, for example, and other very good initiatives - should continue. I was very disappointed, notwithstanding the increase that the Minister was able to grant to a number of bodies, including the Arts Council that she referenced earlier, that that programme for capital funding of our arts at national, regional and local level has been dropped. The endowment for the arts in Ireland, in the broadest sense of the word, has fallen dramatically this year, as the Minister knows from the comparison of the capital and current figures. I want to know if the Minister intends to restore that in full in this cultural framework, hopefully starting with this budget.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge the Deputy's contribution when she was Tánaiste prior to 2016. Capital investment continues in our cultural institutions. Some €10 million is committed to the National Library. That is the first phase. Some €8 million is committed to the National Archives. I recently announced the €9 million arts capital scheme for across the country. That was very successful with regard to many art centres-----

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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That was all done by the last Government.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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No, that was not. Having said all that, one of the five pillars of the Creative Ireland programme is to invest in our cultural infrastructure. We are sitting down with all the cultural institutions and asking them to come forward with their capital plans for the next number of years and what they want to do. I am delighted that the two new wings of the National Gallery are almost complete. They are a wonderful addition to the gallery and will be open shortly. We are sitting down and working with all of the national institutions. I agree that we need to invest in our cultural institutions. It is most important. I also want to see us investing in our arts and cultural centres across the country as well.