Vol. 577 No. 5
25 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the date, locations and nature of meetings he intends to hold here during the six month period of the Irish EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31568/03]
34 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his priorities for the six month period of the Irish EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31567/03]
109 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the locations which have been chosen for the EU meetings relevant to his Department which will take place here during the Irish Presidency. [31724/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 34 and 109 together.
The over-riding priority for the Presidency, in so far as my own portfolio is concerned, is to ensure that normal EU business is conducted efficiently and effectively particularly given the additional workload and complexities associated which the accession of ten new member states. I will be chairing the Education, Youth and Culture Council for those items in the cultural and audio-visual spheres which fall under my remit. One of main issues for discussion during our Presidency will be the Commission's proposals for post-2006 EU support programmes in the field of culture and film.
In order to advance the work programme in the field of culture, my Department is hosting three major events during the Presidency: a seminar on cultural and linguistic diversity in Killarney on 11 March; a seminar on the music industry in Dublin on 19 and 20 April; and a meeting of a European Group on Digitisation of Heritage and Culture to be followed by a conference on digitisation to take place in Dublin on 28 and 29 June. We are also supporting an Arts Council seminar in Cork in May which is aimed at facilitating greater networking among NGOs in the arts field.
The main priority in the sports area will be the European Year of Education through Sport. The Minister for Education and Science and I will host the European launch of this important year for sport in an EU context. The launch, along with a conference on the topic, will take place in Dublin on 29 and 30 January in Croke Park. Throughout the year we will seek to promote the importance of sport within the education system, particularly in promoting social inclusion.
While tourism, per se, is not an area of competence for the EU, Ireland recognises the importance of the tourism sector in Europe and the opportunity which the Presidency presents to consider the key issues facing the industry in a European context. In that context, I have asked Fáilte Ireland to organise a business-focused conference on competitiveness and sustainability in tourism during our Presidency. The conference will take place on April 5 in Dublin Castle.
The Deputies will also be aware that I recently announced details of our cultural programme for the Presidency, the main focal point of which will be "A Day of Welcomes" on Saturday, 1 May 2004, to mark the accession of ten new countries into the European Union. This Presidency is different from previous ones because it coincides with the accession of ten new countries to an enlarged Europe. This historic occasion will place Ireland at the centre, not just of European affairs, but also of the world spotlight. It is an opportunity to showcase the unique cultural aspects of Ireland and the famed Irish welcome, as well as celebrating the qualities and individuality of each of our new European neighbours. Each of the new member states will be officially welcomed into the EU by an Irish city or town, which has been invited to take part in the programme. This will involve showcasing local cultural and commercial activity and each town will have a specific cultural showcase event. The ten Irish towns and cities are Bray, Cork, Drogheda, Galway, Kilkenny, Killarney, Letterkenny, Limerick, Sligo and Waterford. These towns and cities will contribute to this wonderful and important occasion through music, poetry, street theatre and pageantry.
The day of welcomes will be at the heart of a national weekend of celebration to mark the occasion. The weekend will commence on the evening of Friday, 30 April with a fireworks extravaganza in Dublin. Groupe F, a leading European pyrotechnics company, will be commissioned to create 20 minutes of the largest fireworks spectacle in the European calendar. The celebrations will culminate in a major concert of Irish and international stars in Dublin on 1 May and I hope to be in a position to announce further details of this in the new year.
St. Stephen's Green in Dublin will be transformed into a sea of marquees, stands and stages to host the European fair, which will take place in St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, on Saturday, 1 May and Sunday, 2 May 2004. Up to 100,000 visitors are expected to pass through the fair over the weekend to enjoy the sale of food and produce from all over the new EU and see innovations in fashion, textiles, technologies and cultural activity. It will also act as a forum for tourism, business and commercial linkages.
The six months of an EU Presidency is an invaluable opportunity to showcase all that is best about our country. The real impacts on perception and understanding of a member state are done at a human and cultural level rather than at a political level. Throughout the Irish Presidency, my Department will be organising cultural links, tours and exchanges between Irish artists, Irish festivals and artists from the new member states.
From a cultural, sports and tourism perspective, the Irish Presidency promises to be both exciting and rewarding for all those involved.
Question No. 26 answered with Question No. 14.
Question No. 27 answered with Question No. 17.
