Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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50. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she will develop Irish culture reflecting national and multicultural identity in a readily recognisable fashion, capable of being used as a major brand image at home and abroad, whether in the context of Culture 2025 or otherwise; the extent to she will do this through the arts, education and the community; the extent to which whe will contribute to the economy by expanding job opportunities created through this medium, given the extent of the contribution from the philanthropic and voluntary sectors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43494/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The aim of the new national cultural policy, Culture 2025, is to set out the high-level aims and policies of the Government in this area for the period up until 2025. It will seek to reinforce the crucial role of culture in society by supporting the cultural sector and providing the conditions which will allow the sector to develop and flourish across all sectors of society. Culture 2025will also seek to reflect the modern multi-cultural Ireland and will be uplifting, accessible, relevant and easy to communicate.

To facilitate public consultation on the proposed policy, my Department published a discussion document on 8 August last. This was followed up by holding a series of local workshops to enable people across the country to have their views heard. Meetings took place in Cavan, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Kilkenny and Dublin.

The Dublin event, which I attended, followed the participative ‘world café’ model and was held under the Open Policy Debates programme, in line with the Civil Service Renewal Plan. I am pleased to inform the House that this event, which was held in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, was an excellent occasion, with a very high level of engagement by those attending. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who participated, as well as those who were involving in organising and running the event.

Over 600 people attended the consultation events and more than 200 written submissions were received before the closing date of 31October last. The feedback from the regional meetings and the submissions are currently being examined in detail as part of the process of drafting the cultural policy. An Experts Group and a Steering Group, established by my Department and made up of a range of cultural stakeholders, are also inputting into the consultation and drafting process.

I intend that Culture 2025will be a high-level and living document that will set out the framework of cultural policy for the next decade. I propose to submit it to Government shortly with the intention of publishing it early in the New Year.