Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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415. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to support the development of the creative industries sector; if she has reviewed the report from the previous Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on the hearings relating to examining the potential for job creation, innovation and balanced economic development in the creative economy; and if she will implement the recommendations of the report in tandem with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. [19821/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Government appreciates the importance of the cultural and creative industries to Ireland. My Department provides significant support for the arts and film through its funding of the Arts Council and the Film Board, as well as through its capital supports for the development of arts and cultural infrastructure.

Other financial and policy supports are also provided, for example, through the taxation system. I was particularly pleased that the Government introduced a 25% increase in the income ceiling for the artists' tax exemption for 2015. This important measure recognises the invaluable contribution which artists, including songwriters and composers, make to society and to the music industry.

I am keenly aware of the potential of the creative sector to contribute to sustainable jobs growth and my Department continues to work with other Departments, in particular with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, across a range of areas as set out in the Action Plan for Jobs.

My Department - through Culture Ireland - also plays a major part in promoting Irish arts and music on the world stage.

Issues in relation to the creative industries are also of relevance in the development of Ireland's first national cultural policy, Culture 2025.My Department is continuing to consider inputs on the draft document from the Steering and Expert Groups which I established and I expect to forward a draft for consideration to the relevant Oireachtas Committee shortly. The issue of reviewing the structures which support the cultural sector will be considered in the context of any next steps arising from the publication of Culture 2025. My Department will also consider the relevant recommendations in the report referred to by the Deputy in the context of this on-going policy work.