Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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600. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her estimate of the number of persons working in the arts sector both full-time and part-time; the main categories of employment and the locations by county; the remuneration levels for each sector and county area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13235/16]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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602. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her proposals to assist young persons, including graduates, seeking to find employment in the arts here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13244/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 600 and 602 together.

The CSO does not provide workforce statistics showing the breakdown of numbers employed in the arts.

The nature of employment within these sectors encompasses a wide range of activities, from theatre and music to tourism. It may also embody the industrial creative sectors, including audio-visual production. My primary role is to support artists and the creative industries in Ireland using the mechanisms available to me across Government on common initiatives such as the Action Plan for Jobs.

In relation to assisting young people finding employment in the Arts, I believe the most appropriate way to do this is to encourage the expansion of arts and cultural activity. Increased Government funding will assist, such as the supports provided by the Arts Council and my Department through Culture Ireland, as well as increased investment by other public bodies such as local authorities, in addition to the increased investment generally which arises from a healthy sustainable economy. Furthermore, the commitment to deliver Ireland's first national cultural policy Culture 2025offers an opportunity to consider how arts and culture can be embedded right across Government.