Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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54. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if funding is available for cultural groups to travel abroad to tour and perform; if funding is available as part of the St. Patrick's Day celebrations abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36159/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In an increasingly competitive world for investment and tourism, our culture is a unique selling point for Ireland. It helps to raise our visibility internationally, promotes a positive image for the country and represents a powerful means to forge connections with other countries. It is a key driver for our tourist industry. Culture is also an important economic sector in its own right, generating jobs and stimulating economic activity across the country.

The Government is committed to investing in and promoting our culture nationally and overseas. Primary responsibility for the promotion of Irish arts and culture overseas lies with my colleague, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and is operated through Culture Ireland.

My Department and the Mission network work closely with Culture Ireland to maximise the impact of our investment in cultural promotion overseas. Department officials participate in meetings of the Expert Advisory Committee, the group charged with evaluating and making recommendations on applications for Culture Ireland funding.

Culture forms a key part of my Department’s promotion of Ireland internationally. We do this through a range of activities undertaken at HQ and through the network of Embassies and Consulates. Under the Promoting Ireland programme, each mission is provided with a budget which is used to fund activities in pursuit of the five high level goals set out in “The Global Island – Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World”: Our People, Our Values, Our Prosperity, Our Place in Europe and Our Influence. Cultural performances play an important part in this regard. In 2017, 24% of missions’ spending under the programme was classified as support for cultural promotion.

This funding covers a number of activities including support for side events linked to performances by individuals and groups travelling independently from Ireland or those in receipt of Culture Ireland funding. Funding is also provided for cultural performances by Irish citizens and the wider diaspora living overseas. Missions may also directly arrange for cultural groups to travel from Ireland to perform in their countries of accreditation, usually around the St Patrick’s Day period. In such cases, funding is generally confined to travel and subsistence costs and with effect from 2018 on a pilot basis, a modest performance fee may occasionally be paid.

My Department’s Trade Division also has a limited budget to support the promotion of Irish culture internationally. This includes the provision of €150,000 annually to the Centre Culturel Irlandais, which promotes Irish culture and performers in Paris. The Division also provides resources to missions, principally in the form of exhibitions which showcase Irish literature and culture.