Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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11. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the provisions that are in place to ensure that artists who are members of the Travelling community are properly represented and supported within the arts sector in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56904/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Travelling Community has a rich culture, with unique traditions and crafts which are an integral part of the heritage of this island.

My Department is represented on the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) Committee, which is chaired by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and in this context provides regular updates to the committee.

The Creative Ireland Programme is a culture based initiative in my Department that is designed to promote individual, community and national wellbeing. It engages and supports members of the Travelling Community including artists who are members of the Travelling Community. Funding through the Creative Ireland Programme is also deployed indirectly by key programme partners to support community-led initiatives for Travellers through, for example, its Creative Youth and Creative Communities initiatives.

Through its Creative Health and Wellbeing initiative, my Department together with the Department of Health, HSE and Arts Council has rolled out a Traveller Wellbeing through Creativity pilot initiative in 2022 directly funding projects that resonate with Travellers and are co-produced by Travellers.

In addition, my Department has provided funding to support the Irish Travellers / Mincéirs and the State, 1922-2022 Conference, which took place in September. The 2-day conference was organised and led by the National University of Ireland Galway with support from my Department as part of the Decade of Centenaries Programme 2012 to 2023.

Details of these programmes are online.

The Arts Council is the national agency for funding, developing and promoting the arts in Ireland. In 2022, I secured an amount of €130m for the Council and this level of funding is retained in 2023. The Council has developed an Equality, Human Rights and Diversity (EHRD) Policy and Strategy. In this context, I understand that the Arts Council set up a partnership with Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre earlier this year. and through Pavee Point will be working with other Traveller organisations in order to increase Traveller inclusion, visibility and participation in the arts in Ireland.

It is important that arts policy is centred on respecting diversity of artistic practice, of public engagement, and of social and cultural traditions. In this context, I believe in the importance of supporting and promoting the cultural contribution of Travellers and Traveller organisations in Irish society.