Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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72. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has had any engagement with stakeholders in the music industry regarding the establishment of a music industry task force with wide representation and which would examine a range of issues including the impact of intellectual property and copyright legislation and enforcement in both the music and technology industries, supports for the business of music education and a dedicated office similar to the Irish Film Board for the music sector. [4076/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Intellectual property rights, including copyright law, are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. Minister Mitchell O'Connor is reviewing copyright legislation at present and my Department is engaging with this review.

In relation to the arts and culture more generally, on December 8^thlast, the Taoiseach and I launched the Creative Ireland Programme/Clár Éire Ildánachas the Government’s Legacy Programme arising out of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programmeand as the main implementation vehicle for the priorities identified in Culture 2025. The Creative Ireland Programmeis a high-level, high-ambition, all-of-Government initiative to mainstream creativity in the life of the nation.

My Department is now working to implement the Creative Ireland Programme with partners across Government and other key stakeholders.

I consider that the most appropriate interventions should continue through existing structures and I have no plans to set up a new agency at this stage. In relation to the remit of my own Department primary responsibility for the promotion and support of the arts, including music, throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. In the 2017 Budget, I secured significant additional funding for the Arts Council delivering an increase of €5m or 8%, in the Council's funding this year. It will enable the Council to enhance support to artists and arts organisations around the country, including musicians, in line with its strategy, Making Great Art Work, which prioritises support for the artist and public engagement.

My Department also provides supports for Irish artists and musicians to travel abroad and develop their careers through its Culture Ireland programme. I am pleased that I secured a significant increase in the baseline funding for Culture Ireland from €2.5m in 2016 to €3.5m in 2017.