Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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94. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for the European Year of Cultural Heritage in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3069/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The European Year of Cultural Heritage will see engagement with communities in all Member States, large and small, with activities taking place at national, regional and local level, involving citizens of all ages. 

The national coordinator for the year in Ireland is the Heritage Council and my Department has supported the central role of the Heritage Council in the delivery of the European Year of Cultural Heritage by providing additional funding in Budget 2018. 

The selected theme for the year in Ireland is 'Make a Connection'. The Heritage Council is inviting organisations and individuals to take action and respond to the theme. It is open to organisations and individuals to identify initiatives, existing and new, planned for 2018 which meet the objectives of European Year of Cultural Heritage. The aim is to deepen the connection between people and heritage, and build a legacy of increased public engagement.

At the end of this month I will be announcing a number of events which will be taking place throughout Ireland in 2018 as part of the European Year of Cultural Heritage and which will serve to highlight Ireland's heritage both at home and abroad.

Cultural heritage is the fabric of our lives and societies. It surrounds us in the buildings of our towns and cities; our landscapes, natural sites, monuments and archaeological sites, traditions and practices.  It is not only made up of literature, art and objects but also by the crafts we learn, the stories we tell, the food we eat, the songs we sing and the films we watch. I welcome the fact that the European Year of Cultural Heritage provides an unique opportunity to bring communities together and build shared understandings of the places we live in.