Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2021
519. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the distinction between the roles of the Arts Council and Culture Ireland; the relationship between the two agencies; and the reason it was thought necessary to establish Culture Ireland separate from the Arts Council rather than have the Arts Council fulfil its role. [31099/21]
View answerThe Arts Council is the national agency for funding, developing and promoting the arts in Ireland established under the Part 3 of the Arts Act 2003. The Council’s statutory functions are to
a. stimulate public interest in the arts;
b. promote knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts;
c. assist in improving standards in the arts;
d. advise the Minister in relation to the performance of any of his or her functions under this Act, when so requested by the Minister;
e. assist the Minister in the performance of his or her functions under this Act and in the implementation of Government policies and objectives in relation to the arts, when so requested by the Minister;
f. furnish advice or information to a Minister of the Government (including the Minister) in relation to any matter connected with its functions, whenever the Council considers it appropriate or is requested to so do by the Minister;
g. furnish advice or information to a public body in relation to any matter connected with its functions, whenever the Council considers it appropriate or is requested to so do by the public body concerned; and
h. cooperate with a public body in relation to any matter connected with its functions, whenever the Council considers it appropriate.
Culture Ireland operates as a division of my Department and is responsible for the promotion of Irish arts worldwide and the implementation of the cultural aims of Global Ireland 2025, advancing Ireland's global impact and strengthening Ireland’s reputation as a world leader in creativity and innovation. Culture Ireland achieves this through
a. supporting Irish artists to present and promote their work at strategic international festivals and venues through a Regular Grant Scheme;
b. facilitating artists to promote their work to international promoters through the Showcase Scheme to gain future opportunities to present their work abroad; and
c. delivering Special Initiatives, which are once-off focus-specific events promoting Irish arts on a global platform such as GB18, the programme of Irish artistic activity with special focus on Britain, prior to Brexit. In June 2012, a critical review of Culture Ireland concluded that the functions of Culture Ireland should be fully merged into the Department and that it should operate with the support of a focussed inter-agency committee including senior representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and other State bodies such as Tourism Ireland. The structure of Culture Ireland ensures a coherent approach to the international promotion of Ireland globally under the Government's high level plan to strengthen Ireland's global reputation and impact and bring combined benefits to Ireland's business and tourism interest through culture.
The Arts Council and Culture Ireland operate together to maximise impacts and ensure the most effective use of resources under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding and the Director of the Arts Council is represented on Culture Ireland's Expert Advisory Committee.
