Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I join Senators in thanking the staff, including the ushers, and the Cathaoirleach.

Yesterday, the Joint Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional and Gaeltacht Affairs launched a response to Culture 2025 and proposed that culture be placed at the heart of Government, continuing the good initiative around Creative Ireland. Artists should be placed at the heart of policy. I ask the Leader for statements on this report when we return. I suspect we might be in the national cultural institution and that might be an appropriate start. According to a media report, a Department spokesperson stated the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Heather Humphreys, would consider the report "in due course" but that many recommendations were already being implemented. The Minister must act on this with respect due to the committee and perhaps statements would be appreciated. A very small number of the 42 recommendations are currently being implemented. A national cultural policy was promised and not a post-centenary programme to replace it. Will this Government continue to treat culture as its personal publicity tool, as in the case of Mr. John Concannon moving from Creative Ireland to Leo's new communications unit? Where does it leave Creative Ireland? I wish everybody a nice summer.