Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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198. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for Music Generation; if the success of this will mean similar initiatives for other art forms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7708/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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 aim of Pillar 1 of the Creative Ireland Programme is to enable the creative potential of every child. The Department of Education and Skills and Arts Council will be key partners in implementing this pillar. This will build on many existing initiative in the area of education, young people and the arts, including the work of Music Generation. In this regard, it should be noted that issues in relation to Music Generation are a matter for the Minister for Education and Skills. My Department has commenced discussions with that Department and the Arts Council on the delivery mechanisms for this pillar and it is intended that a national plan will be in place by the end of 2017.