The remit of the special committee on the traditional arts established by me, in accordance with section 21 of the Arts Act 2003, was to make recommendations to the Arts Council on the role of the council in relation to the traditional arts. The committee presented their report to me last month. I believe that it represents a very valuable contribution to the process of ensuring that our traditional arts sector is acknowledged and cherished for its quality and diversity. I wish to pay particular tribute to the work of the committee which produced the report and which was so ably led by Mr. Jerome Hynes. Responsibility for follow-up action, including decisions regarding implementation of the report's recommendations, rests with the Arts Council which, I understand, has invited feedback from the sector. I look forward to engaging in due course with the council on its implementation strategy.