Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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702. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she and her Department expect to be in a position to enhance the promotion and development of an awareness of the arts and culture with a view to maximising economic benefit in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3478/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The Creative Ireland Programme 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 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. Implementation of the Programme is underpinned by three essential operating principles - collaboration and communication, community empowerment and internationalisation.

The programme is based on five pillars which are: 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 and unifying our global reputation. Implementation of the Programme, while under the aegis of my Department, will, where the opportunity arises, primarily be through, and in collaboration with existing agencies, local authorities, cultural institutions, State bodies and other cultural partners.  Pillars 2, 3 and 4 of the Programme are of particular relevance to the economic development of communities.

My Department, together with its other partners, is now in the process of finalising plans to further the implementation of the Creative Ireland Programme for 2018 and beyond in respect of the five pillars of the programme, working collaboratively with colleagues across Government and in the sector.