Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the expected date of publication of the report from the synergies group within his Department into developing links between Irish culture and tourism; the issues that are being addressed by the group; the number of bodies that are involved; the level of consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34892/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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A working group was established under the chairmanship of the Secretary General of my Department, in June 2005, to identify further synergies between the tourism, sport, arts and culture areas of my Department and how they could be advanced to enhance the further development of the sectors concerned.

The terms of reference of this working group — the synergies implementation group — are to: identify the arrangements necessary to better package, present and promote our cultural, artistic and sporting products and services; outline the arrangements necessary to leverage and to better co-ordinate with the promotional efforts of bodies outside the remit of my Department; outline the arrangements necessary to better understand and meet customer expectations and requirements in the sectors' products and services; to set out a framework for co-operation and communication for the mutual advantage and development of the arts, culture, sport and tourism sectors, including the financial framework within which this work will be taken forward; and to set out the implementation steps that should be taken and the timetable that should follow the finalisation of the report by the implementation group.

The synergies implementation group includes the chief executives of Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, the Arts Council, the Irish Sports Council, the directors of the National Concert Hall and National Gallery, as well as senior officials from my Department. My Department provides the secretariat of the group.

The work of the group is being progressed and is expected to be completed over the coming months with a view to a report being available early in the new year. The group has already consulted with all the agencies and bodies under the Department's remit and with Dublin City Council. Further consultation with other Government Departments is to be undertaken shortly.