Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire anseo inniu. Tá áthas orm, i ndáiríre, go bhfuil an t-ábhar seo á phlé. Molaim na Seanadóirí ón Lucht Oibre a chuir an t-ábhar seo os ár gcomhair. Níl aon amhras faoi. Tá ár gcultúr thar a bheith tábhachtach. Is é an cultúr bunchloch ár n-inniúlacht náisiúnta. Tugann sé spreagadh, dóchas agus inspioráid dúinn chomh maith. Sin an chúis gur chóir dúinn bheith aireach agus cabhrach leis an chultúr gach seans a bhíonn againn.

I compliment the Labour Party Senators on the motion, and I wish Senator Susan O'Keeffe the best of luck with Yeats2015. I know that with her passion and vision it will be particularly successful. That event of itself is an indication of what we have to celebrate in our midst, and people are always waiting for an opportunity to do so. They are waiting for the associated leadership as well.

One thing that is particularly significant about artistic life and culture is that it is very much part of our community. Let anyone go down to a local community where there is an art exhibition by a local artist. He will see the venue packed. If a choral and dramatic society puts on a local drama, there is always a full house. This is an indication of the community relationship with culture and art.

Even in the most difficult and challenging of times, if we have iconic figures in the world of music, literature or art, there is no doubt they help us to get over those challenging times.

There is no doubt that they help us to get through these challenging times because, first and foremost, we realise there is a particular spirituality in art and culture. It inspires and tells us that no matter what challenges we face, we can overcome them.

I am often surprised that when we go looking for elements that bring people together and lead to reconciliation, we miss out on culture. I attended the Fleadh Cheoil in Derry which was attended by an immense number of people - 430,000. I visited the Waterside to meet and make a presentation to loyalist bands. I learned a very good lesson from them. I was urged to listen very closely to the music being played because, in many cases, the only difference between it and Irish music was the name of the tune being played. That is an indication of where one can go with culture.

I was delighted to travel to Northern Ireland last week on the invitation of the loyalist bands. I also visited the Ulster Scots centre where I realised how much we had in common. I realised that if we could get away from megaphone diplomacy and start to highlight the elements which united rather than divided us, we would be amazed by how much there was. That is true not just in political life but in all aspects of life. That is why it is important at all times that the State is supportive of our culture and the arts. Not only are they good in inspiring us individually, they also have given us status internationally. We have been successful in many spheres but particularly in the spheres that last, namely, literature, music and the arts. For a small nation, we genuinely seem to be punching above our weight. We should not talk about cultural tourism in an economic sense only because there is more than economics involved; it is chiefly about interacting with others. Often people of different nationalities come to visit Ireland and the one thing that makes us comfortable with each other is our culture. One cannot argue that one culture has supremacy over another. I have always found that people involved in the artistic world invariably have respect for every art form and culture. In fact, they see other cultures as enriching their own.

I am looking forward to the commemoration of the 1916 Rising. It is not necessary for us to highlight what it should entail. I have always referred to the Rising as a poets' insurrection because at its heart were poets, teachers, writers and musicians. This is replicated in many other countries which have sought or are seeking independence. Many of those involved in the Rising were prolific writers and artists. There are so many areas from which we can draw and that we can make central to the commemoration. I have listened to people from other countries talk about what they learned from the 1916 Rising which I have always said represented right over might. Those involved did not aim to dominate anybody else and Ireland never colonised another country. That is why our art, culture, poetry and music should be central to the commemoration in 2016.

We should not be over-cautious for fear of causing offence to people in Northern Ireland. I have referred to my experiences with loyalist bands and the Ulster Scots Association and believe if it is understood, they should celebrate their traditions. If we are generous in accepting this, I have no doubt that they will see our commemoration of the 1916 Rising in exactly the same way. The Minister has a daunting task ahead of her because there are so many strands to culture and the arts and it will be a challenge to bring all of them together. That said, it is interesting that a fabric has been developed. The important point is that each strand should be able to identify itself within that fabric.

I attended the Fleadh Cheoil in Sligo and, as is the case with all Fleadh Cheoil venues, the strength and richness of the styles of music tend to rise to the top. That is exactly how it should be because in any art form or aspect of culture if uniformity dominates, the creative spirit of the individual is killed. It is important to allow art to be free flowing and flexible because, above all else, we are talking about individual artistic expression. The importance of this debate lies in the very fact that it is happening. We discuss agriculture, sport and so many other areas, but there is always a danger that in a busy legislative House, the art and culture which have inspired us during the years will not receive the recognition they deserve. That is not true in this instance because we have had many debates and discussions about the arts and culture. It is probably the least divisive issue in the House and le cúnamh Dé that will continue to be the case in the years to come.