Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1865. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54860/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1866. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54861/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1867. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54862/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1868. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54863/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1869. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54864/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1870. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54865/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1871. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54866/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1872. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54867/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1873. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54868/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1874. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54869/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1875. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54870/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1876. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54871/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1877. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54872/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1878. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54873/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1879. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54874/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1880. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54875/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1881. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54876/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1882. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54877/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1883. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54878/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1884. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54879/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1885. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54880/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1886. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54881/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1887. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54882/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1888. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54883/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1889. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54884/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1890. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54885/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1891. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54886/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1892. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54887/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1893. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54888/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1894. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54889/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1895. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54890/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1896. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54891/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1897. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54892/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1898. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54893/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1899. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54894/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1900. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54895/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1901. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54896/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1902. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54897/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1903. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 273 of 13 December 2017, the cost of the Creative Ireland feature that ran in a newspaper (details supplied); the dates on which it ran; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54898/17]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1865 to 1903, inclusive, together.

A major regional and local communications campaign was activated during the summer of 2017 as part of a wider citizen engagement plan to support and promote the publication of the 31 Local Authority Culture and Creativity Plans under the Creative Ireland Programme. 

A total sum of €73,122 was expended across 38 regional newspapers. Please note that no content was eventually placed in the Evening Herald or in the Wexford Echo as originally scheduled and initially advised in parliamentary question number 273 (13 December 2017) but instead placed in the Enniscorthy and Gorey Guardians. 

A full final breakdown of costs and details of publications is available on 

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1904. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the Creative Ireland culture and creativity plans for each of the county and city councils (details supplied) for 2017; the cost of each culture and creativity item in each of the culture and creativity plans, by county and city councils, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54941/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1909. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the breakdown of the €1,083,000 allocation to local authorities to support their culture and creativity plans for 2017 and 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54946/17]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1904 and 1909 together.

Pillar 2 of the Creative Ireland Programme - Enabling Creativity in every Community is a key element of the Programme and the 31 Local Authorities are important partners.  In 2017, my Department allocated €1m to 31 Local Authorities to enable them to develop and implement their Culture and Creativity Action Plans which included an associated programme of events and initiatives in each county. An additional €83,579 was spent on design, artwork, print and online distribution of the 31 sets of plans with a further €13,040 spent on translating the plans into Irish. The €1m allocation was bolstered by an additional €1m from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government ensuring that each local authority received approximately €64,000 each to implement their Culture and Creativity Plans for 2017. In total, the plans listed over 750 local cultural projects, events and initiatives taking place nationwide in 2017 of which approximately 250 were funded through the enabling budget provided under the Creative Ireland Programme.

A key principle underpinning the Creative Ireland Programme is community empowerment and therefore each local authority decided themselves what events/projects they wished to include in their respective plans. It is therefore not possible at this point in time to provide an exact breakdown of costs for each activity for every local authority.  However, this information -in accordance with normal departmental monitoring procedures and in line with the reporting requirements specific to this initiative - will be submitted by each local authority over the coming weeks. 

A breakdown of the total allocation to the local authorities is outlined in the following table as requested. All 31 Plans can be accessed at .

Breakdown of Local Authority Allocation in 2017

It should be noted that the allocation from my Department to each local authority will be doubled to €2m for 2018 to enable them commence the implementation of their long-term Culture and Creative Strategies due to be launched early next year. As in 2017, this will be divided equally among each of the 31 Local Authorities.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1905. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the budget allocation to Creative Youth in 2017 and 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54942/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1906. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of full-time equivalent staff employed at Creative Youth in 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54943/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1908. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of full-time equivalent staff employed at Creative Ireland in 2017 and to date 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54945/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1913. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the departmental and oversight mechanisms in place with regard to Creative Youth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54950/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1914. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the departmental and oversight mechanisms in place with regard to Creative Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54951/17]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1905, 1906, 1908, 1913 and 1914 together.

The Creative Ireland Programme is a high level, high ambition, five-year initiative, from 2017 to 2022, which aims to place creativity at the centre of public policy.  As such it is primarily delivered through the existing cultural structures – the Arts Council, the Film Board, local authorities, and relevant Government Departments, including my own.

The Creative Ireland Programme Office is an integral part of my Department and sits within the Culture Division of the Department. As such the usual departmental and oversight processes in place regarding decision-making apply. The Creative Ireland Programme it is not a separate agency or body. 

During 2017, there were 9.8 staff members working on the Creative Ireland Programme.  This included two seconded staff from Fáilte Ireland, a temporary Clerical Officer and two external service providers who were engaged as part of an open tender process.  There are currently 6.8 staff members working in the Office.  This includes two external service providers. The process to engage a full time Director is currently underway and is expected to be completed shortly.  Summary in tabular form as requested:

The Creative Youth Programme – Creative Youth – A plan to enable the creative potential of every child and young person, which was launched on 7 December 2017, sets out measures to deliver on one of the key goals of the Creative Ireland Programme, to ensure that every child in Ireland has practical access to tuition, experience and participation in music, drama, art and coding by 2022.  It was developed in partnership with the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Children and youth Affairs and the Arts Council. 

My Department is providing over €1m to this Plan in 2018 which is matched by €1m from the Department of Education and Skills. The Plan was developed from within existing resources in my Department, the Department of Education and Skills and the Arts Council and will be delivered from within those resources.  Consideration is being given to the appropriate oversight mechanism for the Creative Youth Programme having regard to the existing structures developed for the Arts in Education Charter.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1907. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the departmental budget allocation to Creative Ireland in 2017 and 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54944/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1910. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the breakdown of the €802,000 costs for Creative Ireland of the citizen engagement plan to raise awareness and engage persons in the programme both nationally and internationally, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54947/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1911. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of artists who received funding from Creative Ireland in 2017; the amount of funding they received, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54948/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1912. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the breakdown of costs for Cruinniú na Cásca in 2017; the projected costs for 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54949/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1918. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the costs related to the promotion of Creative Ireland other than money that directly funds art or artists since its inception, in tabular form. [55047/17]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1907, 1910 to 1912, inclusive, and 1918 together.

The full breakdown of costs of the Creative Ireland Programme in 2017 is available on the Creative Ireland Programme website of my Department at .

The overall budget for the Creative Ireland Programme in 2017 was €5m. An allocation of €6m has been made available for the Programme in 2018.  Of this €2m will be allocated to the local authorities to develop their Culture and Creativity Strategies. €1m will be allocated to the roll-out of the Creative Youth Plan.  This will be matched by €1m from the Department of Education and Skills. The remainder of the budget for 2018 is under consideration at present and will be allocated in the coming weeks.

The Creative Ireland Programme is an all-of-government high level, high ambition, five-year initiative, from 2017 to 2022, which aims to place creativity at the centre of public policy. 

The Programme encourages and supports active participation in creative activity, particular but not exclusively through the arts and culture.  The Programme is based on the belief that nurturing the creative imagination is crucially important for individual wellbeing, social cohesion and economic success, and that the best way to nurture the creative imagination is through active participation in creative activity.  

The Programme is delivered primarily through existing structures – the 31 local authorities, the Arts Council, the Film Board, and relevant Government Departments, including my own.The Programme does not provide direct funding to artists or to any other creative professionals.  However, in 2017, my Department allocated €1m to local authorities from the Creative Ireland budget to enable them to develop their Culture and Creativity Action Plans and an associated programme of events and initiatives in each county. This was bolstered by an additional €1m from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.  In total, the plans listed over 750 projects, events and initiatives taking place nationwide in 2017 of which an estimated 250 were directly attributable to the Creative Ireland Programme.  Many of these projects, events and initiatives involved the work of creative professionals, including artists.  However, it is not possible to sayprecisely how many artists received direct funding through this structure.  In addition, my Department organised a number of Creative Ireland Programme elements as part of established festivals and events in 2017. Performers at Creative Ireland Programme launches and events were paid performance fees as detailed in the breakdown.  It should also be noted that the Department, through RTÉ, supported a number of artists and creative practitioners as part of Cruinniú na Cásca.

All costs for 2017 including the costs for Cruinniú na Cásca, citizen engagement and all other activity is included in the breakdown of costs as referred to above.