Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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36. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the concerns raised by members of the artistic community here regarding the increasing role of her Department and the Department of the Taoiseach in decision making in addition to financial allocations with regard to the Creative Ireland plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11743/17]

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 as the Government Legacy Programme for Ireland 2016 and as the main implementation vehicle for the priorities identified in Culture 2025/Éire Ildánach, the draft cultural policy which I published in July 2016. From my experience the response to the Creative Ireland Programme,and to the significant increases in funding for the arts and culture which I secured in Budget 2017, have been widely welcomed across the sector.

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. The Creative Ireland Programme embraces the whole cultural sector, bringing together all those involved in the arts, film, broadcasting, visual arts, cultural heritage, the Irish language and Gaeltacht, with Government Departments and State agencies.

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.

In Budget 2017, I secured €5m to commence the implementation of the Creative Ireland programme which includes an ambitious plan to deliver 10 major initiatives by the end of this year. Further details of these initiatives are available on.

It is important to note that the delivery of the Creative Ireland Programme, while under the aegis of my Department, will primarily be through, and in partnership with, existing agencies, local authorities, cultural institutions and State bodies. For example I have already made a specific allocation of €1m out of the €5m available to the local authorities towards the implementation of the 2017 Creative Ireland Plans and it is the local authorities that will decide how this money will be spent. Significant funding will also be provided for Cruinniú na Cáscaon the Easter Bank holiday.

The objectives of the Programme will also be delivered through the Arts Council, the Irish Film Board, the Heritage Council, Culture Ireland and the national cultural institutions. All of the institutions received substantial increases in funding this year, which waswarmly welcomed.