Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 July 2016
421. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the action she is taking with her Government colleagues to systematically address social, geographic and economic barriers to full participation in the artistic and cultural life of the country, particularly for children and young persons. [19830/16]
View answerUnder the Arts Act 2003, primary responsibility for the promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is devolved to the Arts Council. The Arts Council is the main channel of the State's current expenditure on the arts and will receive over €60 million in 2016.
The Arts Council’s ten-year strategy Making Great Art Work (2016-2025) set outs how it will lead the development of the arts in Ireland over the next decade. Making Great Art Work places specific emphasis on the need to plan and provide for children and young people. The strategy also commits to working to achieve full implementation of the Arts in Education Charter.
The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the publication of Culture 2025. My Department is continuing to consider inputs on the draft document from the Steering and Expert Groups which I established and I expect to forward a draft for consideration to the relevant Oireachtas Committee shortly. 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.
