Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to expand and widen Culture Night in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41791/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Culture Night 2012 took place on Friday 21 September last across 34 locations throughout the island of Ireland, making it the largest and most diverse Culture Night to date.

Culture Night has grown from a relatively small-scale cultural event staged only in Dublin in 2006 to the significant national cultural event it now is, with more than 300,000 people visiting museums, galleries, historic houses, artists’ studios and cultural centres across the country in 2011. Whilst definitive attendance figures are not yet available for 2012, early indications are that the number of participants on the night will match, if not indeed surpass, those recorded in 2011. I allocated just over €200,000 for the event in 2012.

The 2012 event also saw the development and delivery of a GPS-enabled Dublin Culture Night smartphone application, which was available to download free of charge, both in advance of the night and on the night itself, with a view to allowing Culture Night participants develop their own personal culture trails and access a wealth of information in relation to the rich cultural offerings available. Initial feedback in relation to the 'app' has been positive with over 7,000 users on the night itself. The potential around developing and enhancing the 'app' to include possibly all of the participating locations is already under consideration for Culture Night 2013 and beyond.

I should also mention that the commitment in the Programme for Government to expand the Culture Night concept and to consider making it a twice yearly event is being advanced by the designation and delivery of an International Week of Irish Culture, based around the St Patrick's Day Festival, following discussions between my Department and key stakeholders. This year was the first year of a five-year initiative, ultimately potentially linking with the 2016 commemorations. This year, the emphasis was on:

- the international launch of the "International Celebration of Irish Culture" brand abroad;

- a series of programme activities based in existing cultural venues around the Merrion Square/Kildare Street areas of Dublin;

- marketing the message of "I Love my City"; and

- using the existing St. Patrick's Festival activity to promote Ireland and its culture, both domestically and internationally.

The initiative was well received and supported in both national and international spheres and discussions have already commenced between my Department and the St. Patrick's Festival as to the further development and expansion of the event for 2013 and beyond.

My Department is also supporting Music Day – now designated internationally as 21June.