Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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160. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which he and his Department might consider the promotion of mutually beneficial, jointly-sponsored cultural events with the US in the course of the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11476/14]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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My Department, through its Culture Ireland Programme, promotes Irish arts abroad and works closely with US partners to create and support opportunities for Irish artists and companies to present and promote their work at strategic festivals and venues. I have arranged for a special focus on presenting Irish arts internationally over the St Patrick’s Day period this year. In this regard, my Department will support a significant number of events across the US and worldwide. In particular, a number of critically acclaimed traditional Irish bands will tour in the US this month, with the support of my Department.

On an ongoing basis throughout the year, my Department, through its Culture Ireland grant programmes, supports Irish artists travelling to the US across a range of artforms. This support encompasses:

- Irish films in key film festivals such as Tribeca, Sundance and Irish Film Festivals in New York, Boston, LA, San Francisco;

- music showcases at South by South West, Texas, and a number of music festivals, particularly during the summer months;

- visual arts at the Armory Show, New York City, and other art fairs and galleries; and

- readings by some of our finest poets and writers.

My Department is also supporting leading Irish theatre companies to present in the US in 2014, including in BAM, NY, America's oldest performing arts centre.

I would like to make special mention of the Irish Arts Center in New York, which is a key partner that focuses on presenting Irish artists on a year round basis. This year, in a new initiative, my Department through its Culture Ireland Programme has agreed to give support on an annual basis for the Center's Irish programme. The Irish Arts Center has well developed plans to build a new flagship building, with the support of the Irish Government. The Center, with a targeted completion date of 2016, will offer a world-class venue for presenting Irish arts in New York.

I am acutely conscious that the cultural ties between Ireland and America are unique. By bringing Irish creative talent to audiences across America, we are celebrating that unique shared story and growing key relationships between Irish artists and leading US arts festivals, venues and institutions, thereby creating new opportunities and jobs for Irish artists. In supporting these artists in the US, my Department works closely with Tourism Ireland, the IDA and other Irish State bodies to help widen the benefits for all sectors arising from the promotion of Ireland's creative talents.