Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

412. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will appoint an expert panel of artists and cultural managers to advise her and her Department as proposed by the national campaign for the arts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4105/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department will continue to work closely with those involved in arts and culture in Ireland. For example, the Department consulted widely with the arts and culture sector in preparing Ireland’s first draft framework policy Culture 2025/Éire Ildánachwhich I published in July last year. The preparation of this document was supported by a steering group and wider expert group drawn from the sector. The draft document was submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for input. I understand that the Committee is currently preparing a report on the draft framework policy which I will consider when received.

In the meantime, I believe that it is important to continue momentum in terms of delivery of the priorities set out in the framework policy and to build on the positive legacy of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme.

To that effect therefore, 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 including those working in the sector. I will continue to keep the process and structures for consultation under review as we work through the implementation phase.

It should also be noted that under the Arts Act 2003, the Arts Council also has a function of advising and providing information on the arts to the Minister and to the Government.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

413. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on proposals that would mandate all local authorities to publish individual arts plans and cultural strategies and for local authority arts spending to be mandatory and ring-fenced on an annual basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4106/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach and I launched the Creative Ireland Programme – Clár Éire Ildánach 2017 – 2022 on the 8 December 2016.

This is a cross-Government initiative to mainstream culture and creativity in the life of the nation and to promote individual, community and national wellbeing. This will focus on boosting cultural provision and participation in communities and harnessing the goodwill and engagement generated by the 2016 commemorative programme.

The core proposition of this programme is that participation in cultural activity drives personal and collective creativity, with significant implications for individual and societal wellbeing and achievement. The programme is based on five pillars:

- Enabling the creative potential of every child

- Enabling creativity in every community

- Investing in our creative and cultural infrastructure

- Establishing Ireland as a centre of excellence in media production

- Unifying our global reputation

The second pillar – Enabling creativity in every community – will be implemented primarily through our local authorities. This is because local authorities are the primary instruments of community engagement and second, local authorities have a particular capacity for local programme delivery, especially in the context of citizen engagement.

I have asked local authorities to establish a Culture Team bringing together arts officers, librarians, heritage officers, museum curators, archivists and other relevant personnel which will be led by a Director of Services, with a nominated person as 'Creative Ireland Co-ordinator'. The primary role of the Culture Team will be to develop a Culture and Creativity Plan, reflecting the overall structure and aims of the national strategy programme, and then to drive public participation in creative cultural activity in ach local authority area.

I have made a specific allocation of €1million to the local authorities towards the implementation of the 2017 Creative Ireland Plans out of the overall funding of €5m which I secured in Budget 2017 to underpin this new initiative.