Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which he will put in place a co-ordinated and integrated plan to enable the arts to play a central role in the projection of the national image with consequent benefit to the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21817/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 405: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which he intends to use the arts as a vehicle to promote the national identity and image thereby contributing to economic revival; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22435/11]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 405 together.

One of this Government's top priorities from its first day in office has been the rebuilding of Ireland's international reputation. In doing this, we need to promote all of our key strengths as a country. Irish culture has a global reach, and the worldwide recognition of Ireland's great artists, writers and musicians of past and present is more important now than ever before in projecting Ireland's profile as a creative nation. It is also our most powerful connection to the 70 million members of the global Irish community.

To give effect to the Government's objectives to strengthen Ireland's global reputation and cultural profile, Culture Ireland, as part of my Department, promotes Irish arts in key territories worldwide, working very closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and its mission network, the Department of the Taoiseach, and with the other promotional agencies. This year in particular, Culture Ireland is spearheading Imagine Ireland , a special initiative to promote Irish arts in America, comprising more than 1,000 Irish artists in more than 400 events across more than 40 US States.

I am confident that these measures and initiatives will contribute substantively to sustainable economic recovery.