Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 June 2016
148. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to adopt a new all-party approach to national cultural policy; to submit the culture policy, Culture 2025, to the relevant Oireachtas committee as a matter of priority; to ensure that Culture 2025 is allocated appropriate time for debate in Dáil Éireann; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16146/16]
View answerSignificant progress has been made in drafting the first National Cultural Policy - Culture 2025. This followed a major public consultation process in 2015, including a national cultural workshop held in October at the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham. Work by my Department, the expert steering group and a wider expert committee continued on the document in early 2016 and is currently on-going. This expert committee has broad representation across arts and cultural interests.
The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the publication of Culture 2025 as a priority and I intend to submit the draft policy to Government for consideration in the coming weeks. As I have stated previously, this first such policy will be a living document and will form the basis of an on-going dialogue with all who are interested in cultural policy. I look forward to consideration of Culture 2025 by the Oireachtas and would very much welcome the adoption of an all-party approach in this matter.
