Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

700. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which the arts and heritage sectors continue to generate employment throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3476/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The nature of employment within the arts and heritage sectors encompasses a wide range of activities, from theatre and music to archaeology and tourism. It may also embody the industrial creative sectors, including audio-visual production.

My primary role is to support artists and the creative industries in Ireland using the mechanisms available to me across Government on common initiatives such as the Action Plan for Jobs.

For example, 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 Department.

In Budget 2018, I announced a funding package of over €300 million in 2018 towards the development of our cultural and creative heritage. This represents an increase in funding to my Department of €13 million, comprising €9 million in current expenditure and €4 million in capital expenditure. I also secured an additional €90 million in capital funding between 2018 and 2021 for my Department which will accelerate investment across the culture, heritage and Gaeltacht sectors.

All of this represents real and substantial funding increases across the cultural, heritage and Gaeltacht areas of my Department, which will lead to greater employment in these areas.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

701. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans and vision for the utilisation of Ireland's culture as an international national brand with consequent economic benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3477/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Creative Ireland Programme presents an opportunity to create a unified articulation of Ireland's values, capabilities and beliefs - based on our culture and creativity - that represents a considered, compelling and imaginative view of how we wish to be seen by the outside world with direct and indirect economic and social benefits. A new portal website www.ireland.iearticulating this vision was unveiled in March 2017 with an accompanying video 'This is Ireland'.We will continue to work across Government in 2018, to further enhance Ireland's cultural and artistic reputation, particularly in the context of the Taoiseach's commitment to doubling our global footprint.

The forthcoming national cultural policy Culture 2025 also undertakes to promote Ireland's culture on the international stage, and recognises the value of culture in presenting Ireland to the world.

The remit of Culture Ireland, a division of my Department, is to promote and advance Irish arts worldwide thus strengthening Ireland’s cultural profile and global reputation. Strategic priorities include providing support for the international presentation of Irish artists and arts organisations, developing new and diverse international audiences and markets for Irish arts, and linking culture into the Government’s international promotion strategy in tandem with other relevant Government Agencies.

Culture Ireland has extensive international reach, supporting Irish artists at hundreds of international events every year and is seeking to continually increase this number. In 2017 Culture Ireland supported 450 events with Irish artists in 50 countries, reaching a live audience of 3.5 million and 7 million online. Many of these artists achieved high profile awards and critical recognition.

In 2018 Culture Ireland will present Culture Ireland GB18, a year-long programme of Irish arts in Great Britain. The year-long programme aims to showcase Irish artistic excellence in partnership with significant UK institutions, venues and festivals, to build on the unique cultural relationship between the two countries and expand the reach of Irish culture to new audiences.

Great Britain is a key market for Ireland in terms of tourism, trade and investment promotion and the GB18 programme enables us our culture to continue to serve as  a unique door-opener for Ireland and Irish business, and an effective means of articulating our values at a time of change in Ireland's  wider relationship with Britain.