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Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 10 Dec 2014

Vol. 236 No. 4

Role of Culture and Arts in Irish Society: Motion

I move:

“That Seanad Éireann:

- recognises the critical role of culture and the arts in Irish society – enriching individual lives, developing talent, offering collaborative opportunity and the opportunity to express common values and community identity through works that commemorate events of significant national importance;

- recognises that Ireland has a vivid cultural and artistic wealth, past and present;

- acknowledges the Irish writers, musicians and artists who continue to forge strong links of friendship and strong cultural collaborations across the globe;

- commends the Government for supporting and building Yeats2015, a unique cultural event that for the first time in Ireland celebrates the life, work, legacy and inspiration of one of our great writers – and a former senator – William Butler Yeats who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923;

- commends the participation of so many Government departments, Government agencies, academic institutions, cultural institutions, cultural organisations and individuals in the development and support of Yeats2015;

- encourages the Government to continue to build the links between schools and cultural institutions;

- encourages the Government to continue to build the Arts in Education Charter; and

- encourages the Government to prioritise investment in the arts and culture in Ireland and to move towards articulating ‘a new language of cultural value’.”

I thank the Minister for being here. It is always an important moment when we seek to discuss our culture, because our culture is all about ourselves at work, at play, in protest and at peace. Since men and women have sought shelter, they have sought to make their mark, to be remembered, to express their views, thoughts, concerns, worries and joys. Man first put marks on cave walls 40,000 years ago. They have stood the test of time and are proof that before great stock exchanges or Googles, or even coins or the capacity to buy and sell, existed, there were marks on walls to express ourselves, to be the very basis of our cultural life.

In Ireland, we wear our culture rather on our sleeve. We are emotional. At times we are sentimental. We love to play music, to sing - I know that is in the Minister's deep heart's core - to talk, and to tell stories. It is part of who we are and these characteristics define us as Irish in the world. Celebrating our culture in its many forms is a hugely responsible task because it is fundamental to ourselves. Being the custodian of our cultural progress is also a great responsibility for any Minister, for any Government and for all of us. Over the lifetime of this State, which has been short, we are lucky to have put in place such great cultural institutions as the National Library, the National Gallery, the National Museum, the National Archives, the National Concert Hall and the Abbey Theatre. They have stood the test of time. They show that we understood from the start that having great national institutions is important to us.

From there, much more has blossomed - art galleries across the country, musical societies, opera companies, dance, great writings, craft work, poetry and literature. What an extraordinarily rich country this is when it comes to our capacity to express ourselves and who we are. We have arts officers working in every county, many arts centres, lots of stages, local drama groups, choral groups and reading groups. The artistic expression of our culture is alive and well the length and breadth of Ireland, in young and old and in Irish and new Irish communities alike. Senator Ó Murchú, as president of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, can take his share of pride and we should salute him for the effort he has made over many years to bring alive in a new way our great tradition of Irish music.

I am very proud to be associated with next year's unique cultural celebration of all this and more, Yeats2015. I am honoured to be the chair of what will be a year-long national and international celebration of Ireland, of our contemporary cultural wealth and our great cultural heritage, through the prism of arguably one of Ireland's finest writers and poets, William Butler Yeats, whose 150th birthday we celebrate next year as part of the decade of commemoration. I thank the Minister for being with us to launch Yeats2015 last week, along with the Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Ó Ríordáin. I want to publicly thank her predecessor, the former Minister of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, for supporting the project when it was in its infancy and, like the Minister, seeing the benefit of celebrating Yeats and the crucial role he played in Irish history as well as Irish literature, and in the formation of Ireland's cultural identity at the turn of the 20th century, when so much was in flux and so much was at stake. I also thank the steering group which has worked with me during the past 12 months to help deliver what promises to be an exciting and varied programme across the country and across the world.

The vision we set down is to celebrate and commemorate the life, work, influence and achievements of William Butler Yeats through an engaging, celebratory and cultural programme. It will showcase Ireland as a dynamic, inspiring and creative place. It is not simply about a commemoration, it is much more than that. It is also about celebrating, and about being inspired by what inspired him. It has been difficult at times, because our ambition far exceeded our pocket, but it has not stopped us, I hope, believing in the value of celebrating Yeats and our culture.

Next year should provide a genuine opportunity for the nation to pause and re-evaluate our own cultural milieu - our relationship with ourselves, so to speak. It comes before another great year, 2016, when we commemorate and remember the 1916 Rising. Although not stage-managed by Yeats himself, who was just lucky to have been born 150 years ago, next year's anniversary gives us an appropriate opportunity to pause, but to do it through our cultural means, rather than perhaps through a more political prism. There will be a chance, I hope, to celebrate, to have fun, to see some great paintings, and hear good music and beautiful poetry, but it will be more than that.

At its heart, Yeats2015 proposes to be inclusive. For far too long, Yeats was placed on a great, high pedestal - hard to reach and often out of touch. On Yeats's Day, which we launched in 2012, we have always made a point of including young children, older people, students excluded from school, sport and food. Wherever we can find a way to include people, we have sought it. We have aimed to show that this great writer, like all great writers, is not above us. Yeats never set out to be above us. He battled all the time to draw people into the debate about Irishness and our great cultural heritage, how to articulate a pride in that heritage and Irishness, and how it was rooted in our fables and our great mythology.

Next year also offers that opportunity, which is important as we embrace new communities into Ireland and recognise and acknowledge their cultural contribution. Scholars and academics have pored over his every word and writings. They have, perhaps, unintentionally created a situation where people who love just a small amount of his poetry may feel embarrassed to say they love "The Lake Isle of Inishfree" or "The Cat and the Moon". It is not about knowing all of his work. It is about appreciating and loving what one does know and saying "Next year, I'm going to enjoy the bit that I do know." In that way, everybody - from young to old and from scholar to the child reading their first poem - can enjoy it.

There is also the opportunity to reconnect with the identity of the nation at a time when we have endured much and when there is much to look forward to. The programme of events next year - poetry, music, dance, song, readings and performance, held underground, in schools, in halls, in libraries and on boats - is there for everyone to enjoy. We call on everyone to get involved, whether they want to organise something themselves to celebrate or to come and share one of the celebrations we are organising, and to see it as a year for all of us to enjoy.

Our great young people are so open to their artistic and creative instincts. They are the treasure of our future and they need to be nourished and nurtured. I welcome the arts in education initiative operated between the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Education and Skills under its director, Dr. Katie Sweeney. There are genuine plans to change the landscape for arts in education through many routes: Music Generation, the mapping exercise, which will single out and show where the practice is both good and poor and needs to be improved, the launch of the arts rich schools programme, which will encourage all schools to build arts into their school day, and an online portal that is currently in development.

In a way, these are the areas where the real changes will occur - with young children - and help to stop the arts from being the preserve, possibly, of the wealthy and the middle class, as has been the tradition.

Research carried out in the United Kingdom and elsewhere demonstrates the tangible benefits of expanding the arts. Up to now the lack of evidence has been one of the great difficulties of investing. The arts have always been the poor relation. Indeed, the only way to change this is to invest at the core level and in schools. The research showed that being involved in the arts can improve the cognitive abilities of children. There are links between the arts and better health. Students from low-income families who take part in arts activities are three times more likely to get a degree than students from low-income families who do not take part. Drama and library activity improves attainment in literacy. There are positive impacts for people with dementia and Parkinson's disease if they are involved in the arts. Then, of course, there are economic benefits in attracting visitors and revitalising places through artistic and cultural activity. The Arts Council in the United Kingdom has identified that this investment has the capacity, in a way, to create the right lens through which the transforming ghost of art that is everywhere, but is often invisible, at last shows up as an identifiable presence.

Before the Chair axes me with his hammer, I will make a final point. I recognise that the Minister has negotiated some additional funding for our institutions and I know she is aware that the state of funding could be described as perilous. Those involved in the institutions work hard. A particular challenge facing the National Library of Ireland, among others, is the fact that it has been unable to recruit staff in recent times. The library is keen to organise a national cultural repository to serve as a storage facility in the future in order that we can treasure the marks on the wall, as it were. However, without funding it will be unable to do that, and much of what is now digitally available will be lost if we do not have a strategy in place.

I would be remiss of me to leave out the heritage sector, which oversees monuments, parks and wildlife and our national reserves. These are part of the extended fabric of our culture. I recognise that there is much to do and it is a great responsibility. I thank the Minister again for supporting Yeats2015.

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, to the House again, having already briefly spoken. The motion on culture and the arts in Irish society put forward by my colleague Senator O'Keeffe is important. I pay tribute to Senator O'Keeffe for her immense hard work and perseverance in getting Yeats2015 off the ground. Those of us who know Senator O'Keeffe will be aware that it is no exaggeration to say that she lives, breathes and sleeps Yeats2015. It is a tremendous testament to her doggedness, if I may use that term, to see it getting off the ground. I commend the Government on supporting and building Yeats2015. I thank the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, for her support for the initiative. I attended the launch last week at the Dublin United Arts Club. There is a considerable level of participation in this initiative by Departments, agencies and so on, as well as cultural and academic institutions and many individuals. As Senator O'Keeffe said, they are keen to mark 150 years since the birth of the former Senator William Butler Yeats. Those of us in the House remember him especially for that reason. Yeats2015 will be a year-long festival involving many constituent elements throughout Ireland and internationally. I commend Senator O'Keeffe on her great work on the festival.

Of course, the motion is about more than Yeats2015. It is also about recognising the critical role of culture and the arts in Irish society. I am pleased there is no amendment. We can all gather and agree our support for the motion, because it is very much about a collegiate approach to the arts.

As Senator has said, we have a vivid cultural and artistic wealth. I will comment a little more on culture and heritage because I know Senator O'Keeffe did not have time to do so. I will also comment on the arts and arts funding. I am pleased that we will have funding for the commemoration programme. This will be put in place in the coming year and as we go into 2016. Our colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, will have a large role to play in that regard.

Senator O'Keeffe referred the initiative of arts in education and the Arts in Education Charter. These are of major importance and I believe we will see a major return in terms of educating children in the arts. In particular, we will benefit from the commitment of the national cultural institutions to the effect that students will visit those institutions at least once in their second level career. Furthermore, the Arts Council will introduce the national Arts-Rich Schools scheme and so on. These are all important initiatives at a time when we are seeing serious cuts in funding for the arts. Of course, that is an ongoing problem. The Arts Council grant-in-aid was reduced to €56.9 million in 2014 despite the fact that an Indecon report from 2011 showed the considerable economic benefits provided by the arts sector, quite apart from the considerable cultural richness and social and community benefits that the arts and heritage provide.

I wish raise the matter of funding for the Heritage Council, which was reduced by 72% between 2008 and 2014. Perhaps the Heritage Council is sometimes overlooked when we are debating arts, culture and heritage. However, as the Minister is well aware, the Heritage Council carries out important work, particularly in small and rural communities throughout Ireland. I know from colleagues who work in this area that the cuts have impacted on their professions, which include conservators, thatchers, ecologists, archaeologists, museum curators and other specialist professions in the area. Yet the Heritage Council carries out important work, including high-quality advice to the Minister and as well as the development of many aspects of our heritage infrastructure, such as the Irish Landmark Trust, the county heritage officer network, Woodlands of Ireland and so on. A great deal of work is undertaken by the Heritage Council, yet it has a rather modest budget and, I understand, only 14 staff. I understand that in the short term a grant of €750,000 for 2015 would support 150 community groups in the undertaking of heritage projects which would help to build community engagement, positive action and social capital at local level. I wish to highlight the work of the heritage sector, which is sometimes seen as the poor relation of the arts.

The problems we see with resourcing are not confined to the Heritage Council. In recent weeks the National Museum of Ireland has been in the news because of a shortage of money and suggested closures. I have been working with the Minister and her office to try to ensure the full opening of the galleries in the Natural History Museum. It is a very important institution, particularly for schoolchildren. They are fond of what we all know as the dead zoo. We need to ensure that funding is kept at an adequate level for all of our museums and galleries.

I have not had time to discuss the visual arts, but we are all mindful of the important work done by the National Gallery of Ireland, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the Hugh Lane Gallery and the other visual art galleries. I thank the Minister for her support for Yeats2015 and I remind her to remember the Heritage Council.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire anseo inniu. Tá áthas orm, i ndáiríre, go bhfuil an t-ábhar seo á phlé. Molaim na Seanadóirí ón Lucht Oibre a chuir an t-ábhar seo os ár gcomhair. Níl aon amhras faoi. Tá ár gcultúr thar a bheith tábhachtach. Is é an cultúr bunchloch ár bhféiniúlacht náisiúnta. Tugann sé spreagadh, dóchas agus inspioráid dúinn chomh maith. Sin an chúis gur chóir dúinn bheith aireach agus cabhrach leis an chultúr gach seans a bhíonn againn.

I compliment the Labour Party Senators on the motion, and I wish Senator Susan O'Keeffe the best of luck with Yeats2015. I know that with her passion and vision it will be particularly successful. That event of itself is an indication of what we have to celebrate in our midst, and people are always waiting for an opportunity to do so. They are waiting for the associated leadership as well.

One thing that is particularly significant about artistic life and culture is that it is very much part of our community. Let anyone go down to a local community where there is an art exhibition by a local artist. He will see the venue packed. If a choral and dramatic society puts on a local drama, there is always a full house. This is an indication of the community relationship with culture and art.

Even in the most difficult and challenging of times, if we have iconic figures in the world of music, literature or art, there is no doubt they help us to get over those challenging times.

There is no doubt that they help us to get through these challenging times because, first and foremost, we realise there is a particular spirituality in art and culture. It inspires and tells us that no matter what challenges we face, we can overcome them.

I am often surprised that when we go looking for elements that bring people together and lead to reconciliation, we miss out on culture. I attended the Fleadh Cheoil in Derry which was attended by an immense number of people - 430,000. I visited the Waterside to meet and make a presentation to loyalist bands. I learned a very good lesson from them. I was urged to listen very closely to the music being played because, in many cases, the only difference between it and Irish music was the name of the tune being played. That is an indication of where one can go with culture.

I was delighted to travel to Northern Ireland last week on the invitation of the loyalist bands. I also visited the Ulster Scots centre where I realised how much we had in common. I realised that if we could get away from megaphone diplomacy and start to highlight the elements which united rather than divided us, we would be amazed by how much there was. That is true not just in political life but in all aspects of life. That is why it is important at all times that the State is supportive of our culture and the arts. Not only are they good in inspiring us individually, they also have given us status internationally. We have been successful in many spheres but particularly in the spheres that last, namely, literature, music and the arts. For a small nation, we genuinely seem to be punching above our weight. We should not talk about cultural tourism in an economic sense only because there is more than economics involved; it is chiefly about interacting with others. Often people of different nationalities come to visit Ireland and the one thing that makes us comfortable with each other is our culture. One cannot argue that one culture has supremacy over another. I have always found that people involved in the artistic world invariably have respect for every art form and culture. In fact, they see other cultures as enriching their own.

I am looking forward to the commemoration of the 1916 Rising. It is not necessary for us to highlight what it should entail. I have always referred to the Rising as a poets' insurrection because at its heart were poets, teachers, writers and musicians. This is replicated in many other countries which have sought or are seeking independence. Many of those involved in the Rising were prolific writers and artists. There are so many areas from which we can draw and that we can make central to the commemoration. I have listened to people from other countries talk about what they learned from the 1916 Rising which I have always said represented right over might. Those involved did not aim to dominate anybody else and Ireland never colonised another country. That is why our art, culture, poetry and music should be central to the commemoration in 2016.

We should not be over-cautious for fear of causing offence to people in Northern Ireland. I have referred to my experiences with loyalist bands and the Ulster Scots Association and believe if it is understood, they should celebrate their traditions. If we are generous in accepting this, I have no doubt that they will see our commemoration of the 1916 Rising in exactly the same way. The Minister has a daunting task ahead of her because there are so many strands to culture and the arts and it will be a challenge to bring all of them together. That said, it is interesting that a fabric has been developed. The important point is that each strand should be able to identify itself within that fabric.

I attended the Fleadh Cheoil in Sligo and, as is the case with all Fleadh Cheoil venues, the strength and richness of the styles of music tend to rise to the top. That is exactly how it should be because in any art form or aspect of culture if uniformity dominates, the creative spirit of the individual is killed. It is important to allow art to be free flowing and flexible because, above all else, we are talking about individual artistic expression. The importance of this debate lies in the very fact that it is happening. We discuss agriculture, sport and so many other areas, but there is always a danger that in a busy legislative House, the art and culture which have inspired us during the years will not receive the recognition they deserve. That is not true in this instance because we have had many debates and discussions about the arts and culture. It is probably the least divisive issue in the House and le cúnamh Dé that will continue to be the case in the years to come.

I welcome the Minister. This is the second time in as many months that we have discussed this subject. I welcome the motion tabled by Senator Susan O'Keeffe on behalf of the Labour Party and I am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to the debate.

At €74 million, the level of Government funding for the Department of the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in 2015 will be the same as in 2014. Given that there are so many demands on the Exchequer, the fact that the Government has maintained this level of funding is welcomed by those involved in the arts community. The Minister has just contributed €178,000 to the music capital scheme which will allow young musicians and music groups to purchase new equipment. I also note that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport recently announced a fund of €2 million for festivals in 2015. Included in this sum is €1 million for the St. Patrick's Day Festival, which is very welcome.

It is obvious that the Government recognises the significance of having a vibrant arts and culture sector. The arts play a very important role in communities and reach out to people from all walks of life, demonstrating a very strong sense of social inclusion. Participation in the arts and sport is particularly important for children as such participation improves self-confidence, interpersonal communication skills and self-esteem. Cultural events bring life to villages, towns and cities. Festivals and cultural events attract tourists from all over the world and boost the national economy enormously. Last year the Government supported approximately 120 festivals all over the country which employed almost 8,000 artists. These arts festivals contribute to the national economy, as well as to local communities, with beneficial knock-on effects for local businesses. The Galway Arts Festival, for example, contributed €21 million to the local economy in 2013. Cultural tourism, therefore, is a huge business.

The latest development of the east coast tourist trail from the north-east Boyne Valley all the way down to Wexford and Waterford is a living history project animating the culture and heritage of our country.

We are renowned all over the world for our culture and our artistic achievements, both past and present. Our famous writers and poets, W.B. Yeats, James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Brendan Behan - I do not know if the Minister saw the fascinating documentary about him on television the other night - Anne Enright, the late Maeve Binchy and John McGahern, to name a few, bring huge international respect and admiration to these shores. Last year, 13 writers were nominated for the Man Booker prize. Three of these were Irish - Colm Tóibín, Donal Ryan and my good friend in New York, Colum McCann. Two Irish writers - Niall Williams and Joseph O'Neill - made the list this year. That says something special about this wonderful country of ours. Irish artists are known and admired all over the world and our musical heritage is legendary too. From The Chieftains to my favourites, U2, Riverdance to the Abbey Theatre, Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne, young Saoirse Ronan - all were born, bred and produced right here on these shores. This is something of which we should be very proud.

The year 2016 will be an important year in Ireland, with the centenary commemorations of the 1916 Rising. We have spoken about this in this House already. This commemoration will provide us with a golden opportunity to attract huge, if not record, numbers of visitors from overseas, replicating the success of The Gathering. Approximately 3.6 million tourists come to Ireland for a cultural experience. This centenary celebration is an ideal platform to engage more with our diaspora and the over 60 million people throughout the world who proudly claim to be Irish or wish they were.

I commend Senator O'Keeffe as chair of the Yeats2015 initiative. We have spoken a number of times about this project. She and her committee have worked tirelessly to bring this project, and her vision to honour W.B. Yeats, to fruition. She deserves the support of Government, philanthropy and the corporate and community sectors. Yeats2015 will be a great celebration of W.B.'s work and the inspiration he has given and continues to give to this day. It is a unique opportunity to celebrate our former Senator and poet, one of the most influential figures of 20th century literature. Let us not forget that it is 92 years ago this week that W.B. Yeats was nominated to Seanad Éireann by the President of the Executive. We celebrate that fact this week. We should all work together and get everyone involved - our schools, communities and cultural institutions - to attract as many visitors from home and abroad to take part in Yeats2015.

I emphasise that on a global scale, the arts, culture and creative sectors play a major role in our economy and towards our international reputation. This can never be underestimated. Ireland must continue to make its presence felt through continued investment. From a social perspective, we want to encourage, educate, develop and produce here at home the next generation of artists who will follow in the shoes of W.B. Yeats and others aforementioned. I thank the Minister for her presence here today and wish her the best of luck.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to discuss the Labour Party Private Members' motion on Yeats2015, as well as the importance of arts and culture in society. I was delighted to attend the official launch of Yeats2015 last week, in the United Arts Club, with the Minister of State, Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Senator Susan O'Keeffe, chair of the national steering committee for Yeats2015, Professor Meg Harper from the University of Limerick and acclaimed artist Olwen Fouéré. There was a strong contingent from Sligo and Leitrim at this event.

Yeats2015 is a year-long celebration and commemoration to mark the life, work and achievements of W.B. Yeats on the 150th anniversary of his birth. Yeats is unique, not only as Ireland's first winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, which was awarded on this date in 1923. He was also a figure of the time in which he lived, which shaped this island as much as it shaped his writings. He lived during the 1916 Rising and the War of Independence and was at the centre of the cultural wing of the emerging state. He co-founded the Abbey Theatre which opened its doors in 1904, drove the Irish literary revival, also known as the Celtic Twilight after Yeats' collection of 1893, and served as a Senator for two terms. It is also important that we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of this great man in the context of the decade of commemorations. His poetry has inspired us all and has left a lasting impression with artists, musicians and academics across the world.

I would like to congratulate Senator O'Keeffe and the steering committee for driving this important initiative forward and I look forward to the exciting programme of events that are planned over the coming year. I hope these celebrations will encourage members of the public to rediscover the work of Yeats and to reflect on a fascinating period in our history. I am pleased that my Department provided funding of €500,000 to this important initiative, as part of a wider allocation of €22 million for a number of flagship commemorative projects. Yeats2015 provides a wonderful opportunity to showcase Ireland as an inspiring and creative place, and to illustrate to the world how utterly proud we are of our literary heritage.

I was recently in Atlanta and New Orleans for the International Famine Commemoration and while I was there I had the pleasure of attending events honouring two other giants of Irish literature - Heaney and Beckett. It would be hard to overstate the esteem in which these Irish literature greats are held in the United States and internationally. Yeats himself was very much aware of the potency of Irish writing. I was at Emory University which has some of Yeats's papers. The university is very proud to have these writings and original first editions of some of Yeats's books. It is not until one goes abroad that one realises how important these people are and how proud the Irish are to have this connection back home.

In reply to letters of congratulations on being awarded the Noble Prize, Yeats wrote, "I consider that this honour has come to me less as an individual than as a representative of Irish literature." As Senator O'Keeffe has stated, we should be inspired by what inspired him.

Tonight’s motion provides an opportunity to recognise the contribution and impact Yeats’s life and work has had on this island and beyond, and also to recognise the hugely important role the arts generally plays in our society. Our culture and our identity are intrinsically linked. To many people around the world, to think of Ireland is to think of Yeats, Beckett and Joyce. Since my appointment, I have been making a big effort to get out in local communities to see the huge impact the arts is having in every town and village across the country. I have a great appreciation of how the arts can reach out to people and how cultural expression can interpret and aid understanding.

The arts greatly enriches people's lives – both young and old. Artistic endeavour can provide a positive outlet and a great source of joy for both participants and observers. The arts draw people together in towns and village across the country and bring communities to life. My vision is to support the arts, at both national and local level, in a meaningful and lasting way. Improving access to the arts, culture and our rich heritage preserves our identity, enriches our society and helps promote Ireland’s image abroad. It is also vital for our economy. As I have said in this House before, countries which invest in the arts are progressive and successful places. I believe investing in the arts is a prerequisite for a prosperous and happy society.

Since 2011, despite many challenges, over €540 million has been invested in the arts, culture and film, with €138 million being allocated during 2014.

More than €56 million of this was allocated to the Arts Council, which supported 143 festivals across all art forms, 470 arts organisations and 532 individual artists across the country.

Ireland's cultural and creative industries play a major role in defining a positive image for Ireland at home and abroad. Their contribution to improving cultural tourism should not be underestimated. Over 2.4 million tickets were sold for arts venues throughout the country in 2013. There were more than 14,800 arts events in 2013 and more than 3.6 million visitors to the cultural institutions funded by my Department.

Like every State body, the national cultural institutions have had to endure significant reductions in financial allocations over the past few years as a result of the economic crisis. The cultural institutions have worked tirelessly to minimise the impact of the cuts and maintain visitor numbers to the greatest possible extent. Many, if not all, of the institutions have carried out staffing and operational reviews to examine how they can achieve optimal performance. It is a testament to their efforts that over 3.6 million people visited cultural institutions in 2013, an increase of 4% over the previous year. In the recent budget I was able to maintain funding for 2015 for the cultural institutions at the same level as 2014. This brought an end to the cycle of unavoidable cuts that have taken place at all of our cultural institutions in recent years as the Government worked to rebalance the public finances.

Over the past number of months I have been engaged in discussions with the chairs and senior management of a number of our cultural institutions, including the National Museum of Ireland, about addressing ongoing funding challenges. I was delighted to be announce last week that I had secured an agreement from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to provide an additional €2 million to the national cultural institutions as part of the Revised Estimates to be published later this month. This funding will give more certainty to the institutions and will allow them to continue to deliver on their core objectives while attracting large numbers of people through their doors.

My priority is to protect services and access for the public at the cultural institutions. I want to work constructively with the institutions in achieving this aim. Our national cultural institutions are an essential component of our cultural fabric. Through their collections, exhibitions and work with young people, they make a huge contribution to our society. The additional funding demonstrates the Government's commitment to the national cultural institutions. I hope that as the economy improves it will be possible to further reduce resource constraints on the institutions in the future.

Senator Bacik mentioned heritage. She is not present, but I can confirm that I have a great interest in heritage. I was a member of my local heritage group and also served on the County Monaghan Heritage Forum. Heritage is so much a part of what we are. I fully recognise the great work done by the Heritage Council, and it is worthy of our support.

The Government has prioritised a number of capital projects at our cultural institutions. The historic Dargan and Milltown wings are being refurbished at the National Gallery of Ireland at a cost of €32 million. This two-year project will create almost 300 construction jobs and is expected to be completed by 2016. This will bring the gallery back up to international standards and allow it to present world-class exhibits in a world-class setting. A major €4 million refurbishment was recently completed at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham premises of the Irish Museum of Modern Art. The refurbishment has brought the institution up to international standards. When I visited it in August, I was very impressed by the galleries.

Funding has been allocated for building development works at the National Archives on Bishop Street. The project will address the long-standing problems associated its storage conditions. It is anticipated that construction will begin in 2015. Similarly, funding has been approved for a significant renovation project at the National Concert Hall as part of the decade of centenaries celebrations. This project involves the renovation of the Kevin Barry room, which is long overdue and will serve to substantially improve the facilities at this much-loved venue.

Earlier this year, additional funding of €22 million for 2015 was secured for a number of flagship commemoration projects. These include the GPO interpretative centre, Kilmainham Courthouse and Gaol, the Military Archives, Teach an Phiarsaigh in Ros Muc, the Tenement Museum, Richmond Barracks, and redevelopment works at the National Concert Hall. Each of these projects will deepen our understanding of the history of that period and will provide a permanent tribute to those involved in the Rising. They are also a key component of Ireland 2016, a national initiative led by my Department to mark the 100th anniversary of 1916 in an inclusive, appropriate and respectful way. This programme will be underpinned by the €4 million I secured in the recent budget, which will be used to roll out an integrated plan during 2015. The allocation will support a wide range of activities and events by interested groups, including local community groups and the arts community.

Local communities are at the core of what I want to do, and I have already met all of the city and county managers and the local arts and heritage officers. I want them to support and encourage local communities to get involved in Ireland 2016. I want children and young people to be at the centre of how we celebrate 2016 and I will work with the Minister for Education and Skills to discuss what can be done to promote schools programmes. A public consultation process is under way to encourage and facilitate ground-up initiatives, and I look forward to hearing the ideas and suggestions that emerges from this process.

I note the reference to an Arts in Education Charter in the motion tabled this evening. The Arts in Education Charter is a joint initiative by the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. I have met the Minister for Education and Skills on a number of occasions to discuss this initiative in detail. We are both very keen to progress implementation of the charter. I firmly believe that immersing schoolchildren in the arts through a targeted strategy will produce huge benefits for future generations. It gives young people a greater understanding and appreciation for the arts as they progress to adulthood. An implementation group, chaired by Professor John Coolahan, meets regularly. Progress is being made on a number of initiatives, including increasing the number of artists in residence in colleges and developing a portal as a key communications and information channel for both the education and arts sectors.

Another important priority for me is to deliver Ireland's first national cultural policy. Last June, an agreement was reached to draft a national cultural policy called Culture 2025. It will set out the high-level aims and policies in the area of culture for the period up to 2025. This is the first time in the history of the State that a Government has undertaken such an endeavour. My department is finalising a draft discussion paper. I will initiate a wide-scale consultation process early in the new year to ensure all can make their views known.

Senator Ó Murchú mentioned his visit to Northern Ireland for the Fleadh Cheoil and how music transcends all boundaries. Of course I would claim that it was the Cavan Fleadh that widened the definition of traditional music. Cavan, with the benefit of PEACE funding, was able to bring in traditional music from different traditions and communities. That legacy lives on. Last August or September I attended the launch in Cavan of a CD compiled by musicians from a traditional Irish background and from Protestant bands. It does one's heart good to hear them all play music together, and at the launch the room was filled with fabulous music. On that occasion I thought to myself, "This is what music is about - bringing people together."

I just wanted to mention that.

I very much look forward to the programme of events for Yeats2015. As we look back on the 150 years since the birth of Yeats, we also have an opportunity to look forward. I hope Yeats2015 will act as the perfect precursor to Ireland 2016, when we will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, while asking ourselves where we want to go in the next 100 years. It is a great opportunity to look forward, evaluate and consider the future. I am always encouraged by the great sense of enthusiasm, passion and appreciation in the Seanad for the arts and I am sure I will work with many Members in the coming year to commemorate and celebrate the life and works of one of Ireland's great literary figures.

It is an honour and a privilege for me to serve as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and I believe we are entering an exciting time for the arts. As the economy improves, I will fight for increased resources for my Department.

Cuirim céad fáilte roimh an Aire. Tá mé an-sásta go bhfuil muid ag plé le cúrsaí ealaíona arís sa Seanad. Is ábhar é a bhfuil an-ghean agam féin air agus chaith mé cuid mhaith de mo shaol ag plé leis.

I welcome this debate as it is good that we are discussing the arts again. I am not disappointed that this is the second time we have debated them in two months; rather, I am delighted because the arts are often forgotten, given all of the other issues raised. This is a very important area. Many years ago W. B. Yeats sat in one of these seats and a moment ago I found myself wondering which one. Given the ruaile buaile outside Leinster House earlier, I wondered what type of poetry he would write today. What would he think of today's protests? I was sent a random text earlier containing a quote by him and, apparently, he held journalists in significant disdain. He said: "I hate journalists. There is nothing in them but tittering, jeering emptiness... The shallowest people on the ridge of the Earth." It is obvious that even in those days Senators had interesting relationships with representatives of the Fourth Estate.

I welcome the Yeats2015 initiative and commend all involved for their work. Yeats had a strong connection with County Galway in places such as Thoor Ballylee and through his connection with Lady Gregory of Coole Park. I have spoken to local people who are concerned that insufficient time was given for funding applications and that Galway people were overlooked in the funding process. I am not sure that is correct, but it is important that Galway-----

It is not the case.

Is it not? The Senator can clarify the matter when she sums up, but it was brought to my attention today. Yeats had a huge connection with Galway where he wrote two collections of poetry, The Tower in 1928 and The Winding Stair in 1933.

On the broader motion, the arts in education charter is to be welcomed, but, as mentioned, the document needs more work. I always have problems with the notion that artists should work for free. When artists were given grants in the past, numerous Governments, not just this Administration, seemed to think they should also give classes in a school as part of the gig to justify the grant. They should be respected in their own right. I, therefore, question the notion of asking them to work free of charge in schools, as alluded to in the arts in education charter. The document should be redrafted annually and we should build on basic principles.

The Arts Act needs more work. The Minister has said she has spoken to county managers about introducing things to local areas, but local authorities should place greater emphasis on development of the arts. To do this they need more support and funding. I know that in my area the small amount received is stretched far and that incredible work is done. I understand arts funding in Galway County Council and Galway City Council has been cut every year for the past six years and that they have found it difficult to continue. Better recognition of the work of local authorities is required such as the fact that they manage, support and run venues. They need more funding to support local artists.

The festivals mentioned are extremely important to local communities because they attract people to an area and ensure it has a vibrant, expressive nature. However, the arts have been commodified and annexed by tourism, to an extent, because it seems as though everything is measured by the number of hotel rooms filled as a result. The celebration of arts at a local level is a celebration of creativity and bringing people together; therefore, the communal nature of art should be recognised in its own right, without excuses and justifications. It is important that there be an economic impact, but we should not have to justify artistic activities in these terms. More support should be given to festivals, nationally and locally.

The engagement of young people, especially those between 17 and 23 years of age, is very important because we often hear them complain about having nowhere to go. The pub is usually the only option, even for those involved in music. The music generation initiative was very good and sponsored by a number of vocational education committees, VECs. Apparently, some of the projects that could have applied for funding through that initiative which sought to promote music do not have a funding organisation behind them and I call on the Minister to examine this issue. Can support be given to music generation projects that are coming to an end? They may fall by the wayside because they are not supported locally by a VEC.

Poets, artists and dreamers are central to the commemorations, but I am not sure whether a major art work has been commissioned for 2016. It is important that the Government recognise this and consider commissioning an artwork such as a statue to commemorate past events. I agree that arts policy must be developed in collaboration with other Departments. The Department of Health does a lot of work with older people and those in certain residential settings and there could be scope for important collaboration in this regard. Education and the arts go hand in hand and work can be done on this aspect. From a social inclusion perspective, the Department of Justice and Equality could engage with the arts. There are such collaborations and it is important that they continue. Perhaps each Department might have a policy on how to engage with the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht on the development of the arts. Fáiltím roimh an rún atá os ár gcomhair anocht agus fáiltím roimh an dul chun cinn atá á dhéanamh agus an ceiliúradh atá á dhéanamh ar ár gcuid ealaíontóirí. Ná déanfaimís dearmad ar na healaíona as Gaeilge chomh maith.

I welcome the Minister and thank Senator Susan O'Keeffe for raising this matter in the House. The Minister is in office at an interesting time for the arts, given that Yeats2015 was launched last week and that we are on the cusp of a new year.

In many ways, the arts and culture equate to people's identity. Self-actualisation begins when one can express oneself through and experience the arts. Many needs must be taken care of before one can enjoy oneself at this level. I will focus on Yeats2015 and Thoor Ballylee. I am chairperson of the Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society which was founded recently. It started its work in July or August 2013 and its goal is to reopen Yeats's ancestral home of Thoor Ballylee in south Galway in time for what would have been his 150th birthday on 13 June 2015. This is an ambitious project as Thoor Ballylee was closed in 2009 owing to severe flooding that saw the bottom floor of that impressive building flooded above the height of the Tá and Níl signs in the Chamber.

We have now accepted we cannot necessarily prevent the flooding of Thoor Ballylee but our goal is to reopen it and move the artefacts, etc. to the second floor. I do not know if the Minister has been to Thoor Ballylee but it is well worth going. It is quite a big building. It is a tower and was Yeats's living quarters. One can see how inspirational it was. The vantage point over south Galway is impressive and links to Lady Gregory's Coole Park and the nearby Kiltartan Gregory Museum.

I have written to the Department seeking a meeting with the Minister and my one request is to have it soon. For us to achieve our goal of restoring, reopening and running cultural and educational programmes in Thoor Ballylee we are looking at €1 million. We need €150,000 by next June to reopen it and it is our intent to have it. We have just hired a fund raiser and she is putting together a vision statement and a master plan. I am working closely with her, as are other members of the committee like Ronnie O'Gorman, and Sr. de Lourdes Fahy, who published and launched Galway Poems of WB Yeats last Friday in Gort, which includes 20 of his best known poems, including The Winding Stair and At Galway Races. It is a lovely pocket sized version containing 20 of his poems. Yeats said he felt he wrote much of his best poetry in Thoor Ballylee.

We are closely linked to Sligo and the story of Yeats in 2015. Senator O'Keeffe visited us at one of our committee meetings in Gort. It is very impressive to see the energy in the group. The council, Fáilte Ireland, Galway Rural Development, the local community, and Ronnie O'Gorman and I are all involved. We have written to President Higgins to ask him to launch the project in June. We are focused on making this happen at a date suitable to the President because I am sure he will be busy with dates for Yeats in June. We will leave that up to him.

We are also looking at launching a local, national and international fund raising programme to raise the money. My request to the Minister is to arrange a meeting with a delegation from the group as soon as possible. The father or grandfather of Sr. de Lourdes Fahy used to drive Yeats, others knew him and there are long family links to him in this area of south Galway. I am hoping for people to have an open mind about having Thoor Ballylee as an important place in the Yeats story. I express some surprise that it was not built into some projects that have been funded and were announced last week, given that it is such a seminal building in the story of Yeats's life. I look forward to hearing from the Minister with regard to date for the meeting. January would be good.

I thank the Senators and the Minister for a healthy conversation. It is always good to have culture and the arts discussed in the House, which has a long tradition of being interested in and caring about this sector. There is much work to be done, particularly with Thoor Ballylee as Senator Healy Eames has pointed out. It would be terrific if we can manage to get it open and is one of the major challenges that faces the Minister in terms of how to restore and retain the monuments that are part of our heritage in Ireland. Thoor Ballylee is a gorgeous place and I want to set at rest the mind of Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh that we took advice about advertising for the cause of giving funding. We contacted every arts officer in the country to make sure people knew about it and we had close to 150 applications for funding. They were not based on bed nights but purely on the cultural benefit and capacity of any of the projects to match the criteria laid down, none of which had anything to do with bed nights although the economic impact of any activity must be borne in mind. However, this was not part of the Yeats fund. Galway has been represented on the steering group, particularly in respect of Thoor Ballylee and Senator Healy Eames in funding. We are trying to create a Dublin Galway Sligo triangle, although geographers may argue about the shape. When people come to Dublin, I do not want them to think that it is a long way to Galway or Sligo. I want them to think that Yeats was part of all these places. He belongs to all of us but he particularly had an interest in those three places, lived there and much of his work was influenced by his associations there. We must take responsibility to encourage visitors out of Dublin and make it worthwhile. This is what we would like to see as a legacy. We must hold hands with each other and collaborate as three counties that have a particular interest and can encourage others.

With regard to the wild Atlantic way, we are looking for layering, a point about which we have spoken to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Donohoe. The cultural pieces of the Wild Atlantic Way is one element of legacy work.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh did not read this quote:

A statesman is an easy man,

He tells his lies by rote;

A journalist makes up his lies

And takes you by the throat;

Members can take their pick as to which one he least liked.

I thank President Higgins, who is the patron of Yeats2015. He is on a state visit to China and has taken WB Yeats on the tour. He will be talking about Yeats and the cultural links between China and Ireland tomorrow. It is an opportunity to show that we have links and that we can use our cultural links across the world. It is one of the pieces that is very important. I thank the Department of Foreign Affairs and our great ambassadors. Each and every one of them has shown personal interest and desire to be involved way above the normal duty of wanting to do the job. This is about wanting to take hold of the project and engage with local communities. I commend them on that and I also commend the Western Development Commission, which is the lead authority on this. Incredible work has been done in organising this and keeping us on the right track. It is a good collaboration for an organisation that is not one of the agencies under the Minister's umbrella. It is part of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and shows that, when needed, the Government can do the right thing rather than thinking that it ought to belong somewhere else. I wanted to make sure the Western Development Commission was the lead authority because it has an interest in the creative life of the west. Much of what Yeats did, what he was interested in and what he was inspired by was in the west. We should not be afraid to say that.

Senator Eamonn Coghlan had some gracious words. I do not know if he is organising the 5,000 m Yeats race and I have not heard him mention it. I must speak to him about it. Next weekend, the Arts Council will announce a laureate for Irish fiction. What a great moment it will be, with 34 Irish writers, from William Trevor, who has been winning prizes for the past 60 years, to Eimear McBride, who was a prizewinner in the past 12 months and won the Yeats Cup for poetry when she lived in Sligo. She will be one of our guests of honour on Yeats day. Another member acknowledged that Deputy Humphreys is the Minister at a great and interesting time. We have seen some of the expenditure and investment that will take place and there is a great legacy to be taken from it as we begin to appreciate much more the correct and right role of the arts and our culture. I would hope that in ten or 20 years' time Senators standing here will not be saying that the arts are a poor relation but that they are a vibrant part of our lives. All of us look forward to assisting and feeding into the Minister's 2025 plan.

Question put and agreed to.
Sitting suspended at 6.20 p.m. and resumed at 7 p.m.
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