Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 38: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress on extending the culture night event to other cities for the event in September 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10823/08]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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On Culture Night key artistic and cultural venues extend their opening hours until late in the evening, thus providing the public with increased access. In 2007, my Department provided €35,000 to Temple Bar Cultural Trust, the coordinators of the event in Dublin, for costs associated with the event. Arising from a request by my Department, the proposal by Temple Bar Culture Trust for the 2007 funding included an undertaking to investigate the possible extension of the culture night concept to areas outside Dublin.

Temple Bar Cultural Trust held preliminary discussions with local authorities in Cork, Galway and Limerick. The Trust also met representatives from the cultural community in Belfast with a view to launching a North-South Culture Night project for 2009. In view of the earlier contact with local authorities in Cork, Galway and Limerick, and as a key element for the success of a culture night event is the concentration of cultural organisations in an area and the ability to offer a range of cultural activities, my Department offered assistance to the City Managers of Cork, Limerick and Galway in the promotion of Culture Night in these cities. I am pleased to say that all three local authorities have indicated their interest in participating in Culture Night 2008 and work on organising the event is ongoing.

My Department has also written to the County and City Managers' Association highlighting the role of Culture Night. My Arts and Culture Plan 2008 highlights the possibility of a Culture Day in 2009 and work on that initiative has now commenced.